What Makes the Difference
by Moon Ecstasy
Summary: Harry Potter has been sucked into a 17 year old Naruto's world. How will he get by in a world of Ninjas and wandless magic? What is the threat building in the shadows? And when it comes to broken and whole bonds, what makes the difference? Slash & het.
1. Of Mixups and Magic

This chapter has been edited by the fabulous Inyx Dawn (read her work you'll get a nosebleed!). I own nothing except the plot line.

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Before I begin I must explain to you this fanfic. I read a wonderful fanfic called "Naruto and the Goblet of Fire" Featuring my most favourite characters in the world, Gaara and Naruto! Though sadly it lacked my three other favs: Kiba, Choji, and Kankuro and I was smitten with the wonders of combining my two favourite books. This story, I should add, was written by Gaaraluver on Tonfa, a Naruto fanfic base. I then became inspired to read other such fanfics, and there are some awesome ones. But as I went along I noticed that while Naruto and Co' constantly went to Harry's world, Harry and Co' never really come to Naruto's world (at least I couldn't find it). Then Gaaraluver, bless that fabulous writer, made a comment that I should write my own fanfic and of course I was already working on several fanfics, four I think, but I became obsessed with this idea. SO... Here it is. GaaraLuver this ones for you!

Oh yeah I should mention, this is mainly an adventure right now with hints of romance and coupling... I may or may not decide to further things... we shall see how it progresses. Now onward to the first chapter!

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Chapter one Of Mix-ups and Magic.

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He couldn't think beyond the tearing sensation, as though every muscle in his body was pulling away from his bones. He was dying, had to be. Nothing else could explain this terrifying feeling.

But how? He remembered several Death Eaters cursing him almost simultaneously, he remembered Ron yelling and an insanely vibrant blue light. And now this pain.

His ears were ringing.  


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"Hokage-sama." The ANBU ninja appeared behind her as she stared intently out the window of the Hokage Office.

"What the hell was that explosion? Report!" Tsunade turned around to glare daggers at the ANBU.

"We do not know yet. There was a team nearby when it happened, they have gone to investigate since their charge decided to go that way."

"Naruto's shadows?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

"Well of course he went to take a look," she muttered sarcastically, "Have any others been sent?"

"Hai. A team was sent out, more to replace Naruto's shadows. Those who were there to begin with will investigate the scene."

"Really now, how long do you think it'll take the elders to realize Naruto's no more a threat to this village then he is to that ramen stall guy?" The ANBU said nothing and Tsunade waved him away. "Report back when you know what the fuck's going on."

Bowing, the ninja disappeared. Tsunade flopped into her chair and sighed. "I need some sake."  


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Uzumaki Naruto had been going through his morning training exercises when the explosion had knocked him off his feet and sent him flying back a few paces. Looking frantically left and right he half expected to see an angry Sakura-chan. Snorting at his own silliness, he dusted off his pants and began to run towards the direction of the disturbance.

He could sense the ANBU around him moving in pursuit. They were probably glad of his curiosity, allowing them to act instead of staying to babysit him. Stupid waste of men was Naruto's opinion. But until they completely trusted him, he doubted the ANBU would ever leave him alone.

Naruto came to a stop at the edge of a barren clearing. Clearing?! There were no clearings around here. But here it was in front of him. The ground was packed hard and was shiny in places. Smoke wafted up from the ground and heat curled around Naruto. Tentatively, he took a step forward.

Something moved in the centre of the clearing and Naruto tensed, drawing several shuriken. A figure struggled to stand. It, no he - he was male - wretched violently and began to hack and tremble. Then he did something amazing.  


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Everything hurt. Harry Potter didn't know what had happened but he definitely wasn't dead. It wouldn't hurt this much if he was dead. He tried to stand only to find himself spewing what little he had left of the lunch Ron, Hermione, and he had eaten before the Death Eaters came. Hacking painfully Harry tried to figure out where he was and where his friends were.

"Ron." he gasped, "Hermione, where are you guys?" he began hacking again. Gasping for breath he pointed his wand at his throat and muttered "_Dolor miniatus._" Amazingly, the minor pain reduction spell caused his throat to stop hurting entirely. Blinking owlishly, he figured his throat hadn't been as hurt as it had felt, and he pointed his wand to the edge of the clearing and said with a much clearer voice "_Accio branch_" Several loose and fairly big branches came flying out at him at a speed that was not normal for the summoning charm. And they weren't slowing down. "Shit!" he cursed then "_Protegio!_" The branches bounced off the strangely visible shield, each landing over two feet away or more.

"What the bloody hell was that?" he muttered, confused. Instead of risking the same thing twice Harry dragged himself over to the branch and began transfiguring it into a crutch. It was only when he started to stand that he noticed he had company.

"Shit," he cursed, if this was a Death Eater he was done for. His magic was out of wack and while his throat may not hurt at all (thanks to the super strong pain reducing spell), he could barely stand. He didn't look like a Death Eater though, for one it was just a boy. Wearing the strangest clothes Harry had ever seen. An orange outfit with black accents and a headband with a spiralling, leaf-like symbol carved into the metal, holding back a shock of spiky blonde hair. The kid was watching Harry completely mesmerized. "Shit." Harry cursed again, a muggle.

The blonde kid started towards Harry, who stood there panicking. What should he do?  


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That had been awesome, Naruto thought, the boy in black robes had just started pointing his stick around, muttering unintelligible words and things had happened, solid objects had moved. Amazed though he was, Naruto knew that this could be an enemy. He was covered in blood and burns so he had obviously been in a battle, the incinerated clearing was further indication. Though how the fight had occurred with no one noticing until the explosion was anyone's guess. Naruto had to proceed with caution.

"Who are you?" He demanded only to see the boys face cave with confusion. "What is your business here?" The ANBU held back, he figured they were leaving it up to him until things went out of control. "Answer me." he demanded when the boy still didn't speak.

O

"I don't understand you." Harry said and he watched the boys face wrinkle in confusion. Hadn't there been a spell Hermione had taught them for occasions such as these? If only he could remember.

o

He had no clue what the boy had just said. "Language barrier," Naruto mumbled. The kid obviously didn't speak Japanese. Sighing Naruto pointed at himself "Uzumaki Naruto." he said clearly, then pointed at the boy and repeated his question.

O

_Oh, he wants to know who I am_. "Harry Potter." Harry said

o

"Potter," weird name thought Naruto.

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He remembered the spell. Slowly so as not to startle the blonde he pointed at his wand, then at Uzumaki's throat, then at his own throat.

o

"Huh," what was the boy trying to tell him? Naruto wondered as the raven haired kid repeated his motions.

O

Pointing the wand, Harry noticed Uzumaki get into a defensive stance. He lowered the wand again and made placating gestures "I'm not going to hurt you I swear." Apparently, sensing no threat, Uzumaki relaxed his guard. Once more Harry pointed the wand at Uzumaki's throat. "_Lingua_," then he flicked the wand to the right, then left, then at his own throat, "_intempestivus_."

"What the hell does, he think that will do?" Uzumaki muttered out loud and Harry was relieved that the spell had worked.

"It let's me understand what you are saying, and in turn you understand me. As will anyone that speaks your language."

"NANI!" Uzumaki's eyes widened, "What kind of jutsu was that!?" Harry frowned at the two words, apparently not all words were translatable. But hadn't Hermione said that everything would translate?

"It's magic." Harry told him after a moment. Screw the consequences of telling a muggle about magic, the guy had seen too much anyway. Leaning heavily on the make-shift crutch Harry tried to ignore his frazzled nerve endings. As well as the dozen or so uncountable cuts, gouges, and bruises (he highly suspected a few of his ribs were broken).

"Would you be able to tell me where I am by any chance?" Harry asked the boy as his blonde companion looked him up and down. There was something in the way the boy looked at him. It made Harry nervous, it was evaluating, suspicious, and wary. A look that Harry would expect from one of the more battle tried members of the Order. It vanished though in Uzumaki's wide smile.

"You're in Konoha. Did you cause that explosion?" Harry could hear the unasked question, _Are you a threat?_

"Um, I'm not quite sure. I was in a battle and several people cursed me. Then pain, a blue light, and now I'm here." Harry realized Uzumaki probably had no idea what anything Harry said meant.

It was as Harry was trying to figure out how to explain his situation that the ANBU decided that they'd had enough hiding. He nearly jumped out of his skin at the masked men aiming his wand. Death Eaters!

"How did you get here?! Where is this?!" Harry demanded, even as he noticed that the masks were different then a Death Eater's.

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The ANBU had seen enough to know the drawn wand was a treat. Before Naruto could open his mouth. Potter was unconscious on the ground with a cat-masked ANBU member roping his hands together.

He leaned over and picked up the wand, which had fallen in the attack. He waved it around only to have nothing happen. Raising an eyebrow at the cat-mask, he handed him the wand and said, "I really don't think he meant any harm, most likely he was scared of you guys."

The ANBU shrugged and slung Potter over his shoulder.

"Mind if I come?"

"We would have told you to anyway." was the reply. Naruto shrugged and followed them.  


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Bwahahahahahaha that was FUN!... oh my I think that went well. Don't you? REVIEW! I am a review addict! But please, if you dislike something tell me why... do not say "YOU SUCK YOU MORON OF LOSERNESS! GO CHOKE ON A MARSHMALLOW AND DIE!!" because hey no one likes to be insulted. If I have highly offended you in any way, shape, or form though I don't see how I could have then be polite about it, please. Any who! Please stay tuned for the next chapter! THIS IS SO MUCH FUN!... I feel like a kid on a suger high in a candy store.


	2. Wands, Interrogations, and Journals

Here it is chappy two!!. Also, I forgot this last chapter: I do not own Naruto (If I did the anime would have a hell of a lot less fillers) and I do not own Harry Potter (If I did the ending of the story would have been a lot more satisfying and Fred would NOT have died) anyway I am soooo proud of this fanfic! Thank you for the reviews. So you know questions will be answered as the story goes but ask them anyway, cause you may ask a question that I didn't think of... much as I want to be, I am not God!

Edited by Inyx Dawn

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Chapter two: Wands, Interrogations, and Journals.

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Tsunade massaged her forehead with the tips of her fingers. You would think, as Hokage, that she'd be able to get some peace and quiet, but noooo, life and pressing matters just had to keep interrupting her sake breaks. She drank it anyway, downing a cupful as Naruto finished his report. The ANBU had already given her theirs and were standing guard over the boy on the couch.

The medic in her wanted to go help the boy, (Harry Potter, Naruto had called him) he was a bloody mess and she could tell by his harsh breathing that he had internal injuries. How had he gotten so beat up when judging by his build and Naruto's observations he wasn't a shinobi. They'd have to get him to tell them.

"Okay, I want him under heavy guard. Take him to the hospital; he won't be able to tell us much unless he gets fixed up. Tell Sakura to tend him. When he wakes up, send for me. Naruto stay here."

The ANBU left and Naruto watched them go and then turning to face her, he said, "Tsunade-baa-chan, I really don't think he's a threat." Tsunade waved him to be quiet as she inspected the wooden stick on her desk. Picking it up she tried to figure out how it worked.

"Ano..." Tsunade glared at Naruto but he continued, "I keep wondering if this magic he was talking about is similar to our chakra, if so I think that stick might be a channel of sorts." She tried not to show surprise, Naruto was, for all appearances, completely dense, but every so often he came out with something half-way intelligent.

"You try it then." she said, tossing the stick to him, mainly because she didn't want to risk it blowing up in her face. Better to let the gaki be the lab rat.

Naruto grinned slyly at her, as though he knew her motives. Then he sent a small amount of his chakra into the stick and flicked it in the air like he'd seen the boy do. Red and blue sparks shot from the stick in a violent arch missing Tsunade's desk by inches and scorching the wooden frame of the window behind it.

Both shinobi froze, staring at the long, black burn. "Kuso!" Naruto said in disbelief.

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When Harry woke up he once again had no idea where he was. It might be a hospital he thought glancing around and the white walls and the curtain surrounding his bed. Then he noticed that he didn't hurt as much. Yeah it was a hospital.

He was about to climb out of the bed and find someone (What had happened to Uzumaki?) when the curtains pulled back. He scrambled for his wand, but it was nowhere to be seen. Swallowing he faced whoever was coming through.

_Pink_! He couldn't help it, it was the first thing he noticed, the nurse (obviously a nurse, judging by her outfit) had vibrant pink hair, and either it was natural or she spent an unhealthy amount of time dying her eyebrows and eyelashes as well. He couldn't stop staring.

She looked back at him and said in a tone that made him think of Hermione, "Harry-san, you should not be moving right now. I have only just set three broken ribs, a fractured skull, and fixed a small puncture in your lung. By all rights you should be dead, lung punctures are no laughing matter."

"Um," for a moment he said nothing, taking in what she had said. His mind was rapidly trying to figure out the situation and questions were piling up. Like where his wand was, where he was, and why her hair was so vibrantly pink, then, "What does san mean?" It wasn't what he had wanted to ask and judging from her surprised look she had expected him to ask other things as well.

"Well san is a polite suffix one attaches to the family name of a person they don't know." She smiled, looking like she wanted to laugh.

"Wait, family name?" now Harry was really confused, "you said my given name though."

She frowned, "But isn't your name Harry Potter?"

"Yeah, Potter is my family name; Harry is my first name, Harry James Potter actually."

"Oh?" then "Oh, I understand, your family name is at the end, here our family name is first." So that blonde haired boy's name was actually Naruto, Harry realized.

"So uh may I ask who you are?" said Harry trying to be polite as possible, "and where I am?" he tried to peer around the curtains, but she drew them tightly shut.

The pink-haired nurse smiled again, this time in a way that didn't quite reach her eyes. "My name is Haruno Sakura and you are currently under heavy guard in Konoha Hospital." Harry's eyebrows rose at the mention of heavy guard. Just where had he landed himself?

"Uhh..." he trailed off, unsure how to address the issue, but was interrupted from questioning her further by the curtain flying open. The boy, Uzumaki Naruto, came bounding though flopping himself on the end of Harry's bed with an insane grin on his face.

"Naruto!" Sakura chided in a way that once more made him think of Hermione. "Be more careful." Naruto stuck his tongue out at her.

Following Naruto at a more sedate pace was a thoroughly pissed-looking, tall woman with two long blonde ponytails and the biggest chest Harry had ever seen. He averted his eyes only to meet Naruto's. The blonde winked knowingly and Harry blushed a shade of red to rival Ron's hair. Behind the tall women came two more of the masked men Harry had mistaken for Death Eaters. Looking at them now he could tell that they weren't. Not only were the masks completely different, but they didn't wear robes. They still, however, made Harry nervous.

"Listen up gaki," The blonde woman spoke with a loud voice as she sat in a chair beside the bed. The two masked men positioned themselves on either side of her, "we are going to ask you some questions and you are going to answer as fully as you can. If you don't cooperate then I will hand you over to these guys," she pointed behind her, "and trust me they aren't nearly as nice as I am. Their methods are a little more painful." Harry figured that translated as torture. Swallowing deeply, he wondered once more just where the hell he was and what had he done to piss off the gods enough that they'd land him here.

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Three hours later they were still questioning him. In order for them to understand everything he was saying he had to explain the wizarding world, which of course had him worrying that he was going to get in trouble with the ministry (which was overrun by Voldemort so in a way it didn't matter). He was terrified of lying to these people, however. By the time he was done the blonde lady who had introduced herself as the Hokage was rubbing her forehead.

Hokage had been another word that didn't translate itself for Harry, but judging by the way everyone acted, she was some kind of leader. Harry was to call her Hokage-sama or Godaime-dono which, while it didn't translate, left in the back of his head the knowledge that it meant fifth. He had no clue what dono meant though or sama.

I must have done the spell wrong, for there to be so many gaps, Harry thought wryly to himself as he continued his story, "... so when the curses hit me I had barely erected a shield. There was a lot of pain and a blue light as well as a roaring in my ears and I woke up in that clearing. And you know everything from there."

For awhile the Hokage was silent and then Naruto chirped up, "See he's no threat to the village. He's also so weak even the youngest shinobi in training could beat him." Harry was miffed at that statement; he was far from weak in his opinion.

"Hai, Naruto, but remember that sti... sorry wand. With that I'm sure he is rather formidable." Harry opened his mouth to ask for his wand, but stopped, figuring he'd leave well enough alone. He didn't have to like it though, he felt almost naked without it. Naruto was still arguing. It was sort of funny to see the boy arguing with a woman who everyone else in the room was giving the utmost respect to.

"Yeah but he has no reason to fight with us he's not even from this country."

"If I may," Sakura drew attention to herself, "I don't think he's even from this world." Everyone was silent at that. Harry was getting a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Explain Sakura," the Hokage demanded.

"Well from what he has described I couldn't place his origins from anywhere in this country or any other on this continent." She paused, looking at the black haired boy. "I've done readings on other continents and nothing matches his descriptions. This England, does not exist in this world, I am sure. I think that what happened to him might have blasted him here, over worlds."

"Have you been reading books on this Sakura?" The Hokage asked with a raised eyebrow. The nurse blushed.

"I've read some interesting journals that the Shodaime had when he started Konoha. Not written by him mind, otherwise they probably would have been locked away. A man with a strange name... Merlin, I think it was, wrote about traveling here through 'time and space'."

Harry gulped, "Uh... did you say Merlin?" he asked quietly, nearly flinching when they all looked at him.

"Yes."

"Well uh Merlin, if it's the same person, is a really famous wizard in the wizarding world. He was said to have discovered many things and uh..." Harry trailed off under the stares of the group surrounding him. He had the feeling even the Anbu were staring intently at him.

"Can you tell me about him," Sakura asked sharing a look with the Hokage.

"Well I know only a little, he was really famous, even muggles knew his name. He created a lot of the charms used today, and he was a member of King Arthur's court, Arthur was a legendary King in both muggle and wizard history. He also did a lot of other stuff that I can't remember. But there was a legend that said he went missing for several years in his earlier life."

Sakura turned back to the Hokage, "I think they are the same person, the Merlin that wrote the journals, spoke highly of a prophesied boy named Arthur from his world, which he was determined to help become a King. He spoke of the need to return home saying he had many things to do, he mentioned an Order he was creating. And there were several scribbled notes with strange words I couldn't read and descriptions of what they would do. I didn't understand what he had meant by wrist movements and..." she trailed off as the others realized the implications of the Merlin that had written the diaries she was reading being the same Merlin Harry knew.

"The Order he was talking about is called the Order of Merlin, it protects muggles." Harry said as he came to the same realization. He was in another world and he had no idea how to get home.

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HAHA another cliff hanger sorry I am so sorry! But yeah, I mean... I have no idea how to explain why that journal written by a British wizard was in Japanese, but hey! I'll figure it out. Anyway, end of chapter two... Review! Oh and next chapter will be really short and I'll be introducing something that will change the direction you thought the story was going in! Not that it is actually changing direction, I had this planned from the beginning, and there will be other things that will come in during later chapters when the time is right. I am an author that likes to keep her readers in the dark while slowly taking off pieces of the blinds.


	3. Alone or Not?

Back at school... soon you might not here from me for long periods of time... you may question whether I have been shoved in a fridge at work and locked in there with the frozen meat and sauces... but it's something much more mundane... homework... Anyway, chapter three! Short I know: hate me, love me, curse me, bless me, but this chapter will still be short.

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Chapter three: Alone or Not?

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They left the boy staring lifelessly out the window. He had become quiet after Sakura's revelation and Tsunade had all the answers she needed.

"What're you gonna do baa-chan?" Naruto asked from beside her as they walked back to the Hokage mansion.

Tsunade sighed, "Well, it seems he really poses no threat. I think I'll have to let him stay, not much else we can do but kill him or toss him out, which even with his strange magic will probably be just as good as killing him. I'll have to talk to the Council."

"Let him become a shinobi!" Naruto exclaimed, suddenly hyper, "He'll be like a new kind of ninja with magic and everything!"

Tsunade stared at the boy, her mind turning. "Well he's too old to start shinobi training, but I wonder if we can use his skills for our benefit." She mused for a bit, "When he's discharged from the hospital, I'm putting him in your apartment building. You're being pulled off mission duty for awhile." She ignored Naruto's angry protest. "Your current mission is now to watch over the boy, teach him about Konoha. Guide him around, see if you can learn anything from him."

She'd also make Naruto's shadows this Harry Potter's shadows as well. "I'll have to blood bind him to Konoha, he may not be a shinobi, but he's not civilian either. I'll also make him a Hokage charge, like you were, to take care of living expenses... but I'll still need to talk to the elders first..." By now she was muttering and Naruto was glowering at her.

"Tsunade, this is a really boring mission you know."

Tsunade glared at the gaki, "It's an order Naruto! Now beat it." She left him at the entrance to the Mansion, ignoring the faces he was making at her.

Naruto sighed and went off to tell Kakashi and Iruka the news.

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Hermione, Ginny, and Ron were running for their lives over an open desert. She didn't know where they were only that someone wanted them dead and it wasn't even Death Eaters. Harry and the Death Eaters had all vanished. No what chased them was much worse in Hermione's opinion.

She stumbled and fell breathing harshly. "Mione!" Ron screamed and she looked up seeing several glittering metal objects hurtling at her and her without a wand. Suddenly Ron was in front of her arms spread wide, trying to hide as much of her as he could.

"RON!"

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WHHAAA! Sorry! The next chappy will be up soon I promise! I promise! But hey I warned you... I did... I'm sorry... don't hate me... mumbles something unintelligible under breath.


	4. Ramen Fixes Everything

SEE HERE IT IS! Only five days later (at least I think it's five days... my sense of time is screwed up), I'm sorry, it just had to be this way. Also for those of you who are dying to know what has happened to Ginny, Ron, and Mione... well I tried to include that in here but it was coming out crap so I need to regroup, grab my characters by their throats, and throttle them until they fall into some semblance of obedience (Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and a few other nameless-for-now-characters cower in fear in a far corner of Ira-na's psychotic mind)

Finally before I get to the story thank you to the reviewers who keep me going; especially to kirallie who has inspired me on something.

Edited by Inyx Dawn

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T.O

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Chapter four: Ramen Fixes Everything!

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Harry felt strangely depressed and sick. Haruno-sama had finally discharged him, after a week, with a warning to get some rest. She didn't mention that she was worried by his continued melancholic state. She figured nothing was as depressing as knowing that it could be years before he saw his friends and family. Or it could be never. What she didn't understand was why Harry looked so guilty. What did he have to feel guilty over?

Harry, however, felt extraordinarily inculpative. The wizarding world was at war... and here he was in another world. Him. The guy that was supposed to kill Voldemort. And he felt... relieved... that he might not have to do that anymore, but he felt horribly guilty at feeling relieved.

And of course he was worried for the well being and safety of those he cared for. For Christ's sakes, if he was the one destined to kill Voldemort then how the hell would his side win without him? He could only hope to find a way back soon, or at least hope that the prediction ended up wrong and someone else managed to kill Voldemort.

So wrapped up in his thoughts was Harry that he hadn't paid attention to Naruto's inane chatter as he followed the blonde through the city, but he was brought to a halt when Naruto stopped and stared at him.

"What's got you so lost in thought?" He asked, almost nonchalantly.

"Uh..." Harry sighed, "I'm worried about my friends. Are they safe? Are they trying to find me?" Harry noticed the blonde's eyes tighten, the boy knew what he was talking about, this much Harry was sure of. It made him feel more comfortable confessing some of his fears.

"Actually, in my world, much as I hated it, I was an important person." He smiled a little at Naruto's sceptical look. "Yeah I may not be strong by your standards but there was a prophecy about me. Apparently I am the only one able to kill this madman trying to take over our world."

Naruto was walking backwards now, completely focused on Harry, yet the blonde didn't trip or bump into anyone. It was like he had eyes on the back of his head.

"Since I'm not there now, I wonder if the prophecy is void or something. I can't help but feel relieved and that makes me feel so guilty. Why should I be relieved, what if they can't beat him? What if he wins? What will happen to the people I care for, those that fought beside me?"

"Why do you feel relieved?" Naruto asked.

"Truthfully, I've never killed anyone before, not intentionally." This time Naruto stumbled, nearly doing a face-plant.

"So you are more like a civilian." Naruto said, tilting his head, "As shinobi we kill many times, to protect our village and those we love." Harry looked wide-eyed at Naruto. Now he knew why the blonde sometimes reminded him of the older Order members. He knew what it was to take a life.

"Well I know what'll cheer you up!" Naruto's grinned, "Ichiraku Ramen!"

OoOoO

Ichiraku Ramen, it turned out, was a restaurant, well more like a booth, Harry saw as they neared it. He had no idea what ramen was and when he had asked Naruto... well he regretted asking, that was all. The blonde knew ramen, it was an obsession, and it was terrifying. He went on and on about noodle texture, broth thickness, spices, flavourings, and more. It was like listening to an infomercial Harry thought, recalling the annoying commercials that he had seen on the telly during the few times he had actually watched it.

Naruto sat on one of the stools gesturing for Harry to sit beside him, "My treat!" he said, smiling. Then he turned to a kind looking old man behind the counter. "Misu flavored for me, beef for him."

"How are you Naruto?" asked the man.

"I'm good Teuchi-san! Better now that I'm here!" Teuchi laughed. Harry could see that this man really liked Naruto. He knew why too, the blonde was so charismatic that anyone who got to know him would like him.

"And you're a new face around here, what's your name?"

Harry started at being addressed, then smiled, "My name is Potter Harry, nice to meet you." He had decided, having been encouraged by Naruto and Sakura, to say his last name first, to avoid confusion.

"Nice to meet you Harry-kun, enjoy." And a large steamy bowl of soup with long noodles was set in front of Harry. It smelled delicious, Harry decided as he looked for a fork. After a few minutes of searching he found that there was nothing... "Uh?"

Naruto noticed Harry's confusion, "What's wrong?"

"Where is the cutlery?" Naruto raised one brow, "you know... uh, what do I use to eat?"

"OH!" Naruto reached over to a cup full of wooden sticks and pulled one out. He then snapped the wood in half and handed them to Harry, "Chopsticks." He said, as Teuchi handed him his miso ramen, then he began showing Harry how to use them. By the time Harry managed to get some in his mouth, Naruto was laughing uncontrollably at his clumsy attempts.

"What do you use in your world?" He asked. Naruto, Harry noticed, was always asking questions. And while struggling with the chopsticks to eat the ramen (which Harry had to admit, was divine and worth all Naruto's praise) he tried to explain forks and spoons and knives.

Naruto's eyes bugged out and he laughed asking why would anyone use these spoons when it is so much faster to drink the soup? He continued asking Harry questions about his world, laughing at some things, showing amazement at others.

After Naruto had five more bowls (Harry had one more) they started back to Naruto's place, Harry being grilled the entire way. When they got to the building Naruto led him up to the apartment.

"Tsunade Baa-chan said she wanted you to bunk with me so I got a bigger apartment. I moved in awhile ago, so I got the best room but yours is still pretty good. Well here we are!"

Naruto opened the door and flicked on the lights, showing Harry his bedroom. It was sparsely furnished, one bed with a side table and a lamp, a wall-hanging with strange characters, which Harry knew meant "strength and perseverance." The translation spell extended to Japanese writing he had found, though he still saw it as Japanese. He wondered whether his own writing would show as Japanese or English.

Looking in a closet, he found his robes cleaned and mended. The hospital had provided him with baggy green pants and a black T-shirt that was designed with the strange symbol that was on everyone's head protector.

"Get comfy, tomorrow we'll go get some extra clothes for you and other provisions." Then smiling, Naruto left. Harry sunk down into the bed as all his worries that had been easily suppressed in the blonde's presence, came flooding back. What had happened to everyone else? What were they doing? Were they safe? His hands curled into fists, gripping the blanket. He just did not know what to do.

Looking over to the bed table he noticed his wand harness was laying beside the lamp. Another worry. They still hadn't given him his wand back. He couldn't hold them for their wariness, he was wary too. He just felt unprotected without his wand.

It was in this uneasy state that the-boy-who-lived fell asleep, far away from home.

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O.O

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hehehehehehehehe it's coming, I'm crazy! Whoot! Anyway next chapter will be awhile... I'll try to get it up within a week or two but I have to get some reading done people. I am taking a lot of English classes, therefore I read four to five books a week. And while some of you may go puhshaw, I can do that easy, I say only this... so can I... unless they are thick, long, boring books with no plot line, horrifyingly thick language, and the inability to even slightly engage my mind... ie this little book that is not so little called Alligator... someone should have killed that author before she wrote that book. Then there is Armies of the Night, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Fall on Your Knees, etc, etc, etc... kill me now! Anyway lates people! Review!


	5. Puppets and Blood

OOOh My Dear Beloved Readers! I am so sorry for all this long horrible wait! Here's the thing... I am an idiot... I saved over the story in a moment of sheer marshmallow stupidity! And so I had to re-write it... which took me longer then I thought it would. So to amend for this I made it as long as I possibly could. This is also to hopefully tide you guys over because I am currently buried (and I do mean BURIED!) under a ton of homework. Plus finals and exams are coming up. (My exam period starts at the end of March.) So I may be dead once more... but I will try to get the next chapter posted. Anyways! Enjoy! Review!

Edited by Inyx Dawn

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Chapter 5: Puppets and Blood.

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Jerking in sudden pain, Harry woke up; hands scrabbling at his scar. The pain faded and his hands searched for his glasses, jamming them onto his nose. He looked around, disoriented by the room.

For a second he had thought he was back in Hogwarts suffering from another one of his nightmares. But no, he was sharing an apartment with a boy he'd known for a week in a world that was not his own. Not even a guest, so much as under guard, he thought, with a twinge of bitterness when his eye caught his empty wand holster.

Harry swung his feet out of the bed and moved to get up when he was hit by another wave of pain. So intense was the pain that he stumbled to his knees. He bit his lip trying to make no sound but a whimper escaped. This was really bad.

He gave up all effort to keep from waking Naruto when the blinding pain radiating from his scar tripled. His screams ripped from his throat abrasively and he doubled over fingers digging into the skin of his forehead.

_Strange red eyes glaring at him._

_Green twisting round, black and red._

_Deranged, high-pitched laughter._

_A woman's hand curling round a blackened piece of wood._

"_You dare to defy ME?!" he screamed._

_A green flash of light, screaming, and a deadly smile._

With a heaving gasp Harry came to, lying beside a pool of his own vomit, limbs shaking uncontrollably. As he tried to push himself up his arms gave out and he nearly fell face first into the mess when hands steadied him.

"You okay?" It was Naruto who helped him stand, "Should we go to the hospital?"

"No," his voice was raspy, "It happens sometimes, though that was a little more violent than usual." He chuckled bitterly.

"Want to talk about it?" Naruto asked as he helped Harry into the bathroom, ignoring the other boys blush as he methodically stripped him of his clothes and started the shower.

"No, it's okay." was Harry's reply. Naruto eyed him sceptically before asking if he'd be able to stand in the shower.

"Yeah, I'm steady now." Harry replied as he got into the shower, the blonde gathered the dirty clothes and left him to his own devices. Under the heat of the water Harry sunk into thought. Apparently even being worlds away did not prevent Voldemort's emotions from hitting him at the worst moments.

And of course he didn't want to tell Naruto about it. He really didn't want his new acquaintances, people who might become friends, to know that he shared his psyche with a murderous, power-hungry monster. They didn't really trust him as it was.

As well some part of him, a part that he thrust deep down, was so desolate. Would he ever be able to really escape Voldemort?

OoO

Naruto frowned to himself as he watched the sun peak over the horizon from where he stood on the roof. He made a note to tell Tsunade-sama about the incident later.

OO"

Ginny's breath came in short painful gasps as she stumbled over the sand dune, running full out. How had they been found? They had been two days away from their pursuers, when the masked men had come out of nowhere chasing them across the desert. There was no way to escape now.

_And us without our wands!_ She swore mentally, having no extra breath to do so out loud. From the corner of her eye she saw Hermione stumble and fall and she tried to turn too fast, feet slipping in the sand as she also fell to the ground.

Silver glints of metal flew towards Hermione and Ginny watched in horror as her brother, Ron, jumped in front of Hermione, arms spread wide to protect her as best as he could.

"RON!" Hermione screamed, a look of sheer, unadulterated terror etched into her features. Ginny felt despair begin to rise at watching her brother die, when a wave of sand whirled up from ground, nimbly catching the metal blades in what looked like fists. Magic? Someone was doing magic! Neville? Luna? Or maybe Harry?

She looked around desperately only seeing to figures on top on the large sand dune behind her. They didn't have wands though. An eep from Hermione brought her attention back to front and her eyes widened at the sight of the sand as it rose in waves attacking the masked men that had been chasing them. Most of them were instantly buried under several tons of sand. Three managed to dodge the sand and began to run full tilt towards them, two towards Hermione and Ron, one towards her.

Ginny caught her breath. How could they protect themselves? These were warriors trained to kill. Without their wands they were helpless. Much to her shame, Ginny found her mind had completely frozen. The man in front of her drew back a spiked fist, aiming at her head. She stared at the metal that glinted in the sun, as if hypnotized.

His fist descended and struck a wooden puppet.

Huh?

"Really now, you didn't even try to dodge. Wake up Girl." The voice directly behind her snapped Ginny out of the trance. The strange puppet hung between her and the now motionless masked man, without any strings.

_Magic?_

Her head jerked back to see a strange man dressed all in black. She had to crane her neck to see him clearly. He wore a cat-eared hat that hid all but his pale face, a face that looked more demonic then the masks worn by her pursuers. Reddish-purple tribal markings emphasized a scowling glare. His eyes held no emotion.

But he wasn't carrying a wand. In fact his fingers were each bent at unnatural angles. When they twitched she heard a sound in front of her and she whirled around to see the puppet in front of her attacking the masked-man.

It wove in and around, knifes popping out from the joints, cutting the man whenever he failed to dodge. Over where Hermione and Ron were she noticed another puppet, this one much larger and lizard like, protecting them. Was this man controlling the puppets, she wondered as she glanced at his rapidly dancing fingers.

With a sudden jerking motion the man in front of her fell to his knees, covered with thousands of tiny cuts. He collapsed, the grinning red mask giving the motionless man a ghastly look.

Ginny ignored the thought in her head that the man was dead and focused on her brother and Hermione. The masked man with long black hair, twisted in the air, slipping past the lizard puppet. He tossed a ball at Hermione and Ron. Ginny watched the little snitch-like ball arch through the air before it exploded in front of them sending them flying backwards. They didn't move.

"Ron! Hermione!" She moved to get up, when her feet were swept out from under her. Spitting sand out of her mouth she grunted when a booted foot forced her to the ground.

"Don't get in the way Girl," growled the boy above her, while keeping her firmly pinned to the ground, "Gaara and I have got this covered."

Gaara? And then she noticed the younger man with red hair so deep it put hers to shame. He held one hand out in front of him and sand was curling around the man that had thrown the bomb.

A scream forced her attention back to the third and last man. His mask had fallen off revealing an almost boy-like face distorted by surprise as he dodged an attack from the lizard puppet and fell into the open barrel chest of a third puppet. The chest slid shut trapping the man as he bashed his fists against the wood.

The sound of metal on wood drew her confused gaze to the puppet that had been defending her. It came apart at the joints, each limb snapping open to reveal a blade. They hovered in the air for a split second before descending with a speed that sliced air, stabbing the barrel puppet from every angle.

Ginny's vision greyed when she saw the blood oozing out of the cracks in the wood. Words, voices, something was happening but she couldn't look away from the blood.

"Where is he? Where is your hideout?" a monotonous voice, a dead voice.

"Kill me, I will never tell." a muffled voice.

Ginny slowly turned her head from the bloody puppets to see who the voices belonged to. The red haired man had been questioning the man trapped by sand. The man trapped by sand refused to answer.

"Then die." was the soft reply as he flicked his wrist up and the sand-encased man rose several feet in the air. Sand covered his face. "Sabaku Kyuu!" the guttural voice ripped from the red haired man as he clenched his fist and the sand ball imploded, red mist spraying out in jets. Blood. Dead.

Someone was screaming. Ginny only realized it was her when she started to hurl what little food she had in her. Sure she had seen death before but this... this was...

Gloved hands roughly grabbed her wrists as she was flipped over, thankfully away from the bile, and pinned to the ground again. The boy dressed all in black knelt over her, keeping her hands locked together with one hand. The other now held a glinting knife to her jugular.

"I am going to ask you some questions, and depending on how you answer them you and your friends may live." The voice was cold and uncaring; however, the mention of her friends had calmed her down like nothing else could. These guys may have saved them, but they were killers.

"First off who are you." It wasn't phrased as a question so much as an order, one she wasn't allowed to disobey. She took a deep breath and cleared her mind of panic.

"I am Ginny, that's my brother Ron and our friend Hermione." The boy rolled the names over his lips as if tasting them. Ginny focused on his mouth to keep from glancing in his savage eyes.

"Why was the Oni gang chasing you."

"They had ambushed our camp three days ago, we managed to escape. We were trying to figure out a way to rescue our other friends when they caught up to us and gave chase."

"So you know where their encampment is."

"Yeah," she tried to crane her neck and see if Hermione and Ron were alright but a sharp sting on her neck made her revise that decision.

"Tell us where it is." Suddenly Ginny felt another part of her take control. This was the part that she kept hidden normally, the part she had developed after Tom Riddle's diary. It was her cunning, demanding side. A very Slytherin side to her personality.

"I will not tell you." She ignored the pressure of the knife. "I will take you there however and in return you will do something for me."

He lifted an eyebrow and grinned wickedly at her before leaning over, "And what is that, little Girl?" He breathed next to her ear, sending a chill down her spine.

"You will help us save our other friends."

He suddenly got up taking her hands and pulling her up, "Deal." he said as he handed her a handkerchief. She began to wipe away the left over vomit off her face.

"Out of curiosity," he remarked as she finished, "was that the first death you've seen?"

OoO

Ginny was flying. The branches were whipping past her face at a speed that made them little else but blurs.

After the deal had been made the puppet master had introduced himself as Kankuro and his brother as Gaara. Ginny nearly had a heart attack when Gaara's sand had started to cover Hermione and Ron but instead of burying them, it formed a solid dome. Gaara had assured her that yes they were okay, yes they'd be able to breath, but no, they would not be able to get out until he got back.

Kankuro had then crouched down in front of her and told her to climb on. She had blushed, telling him she could very well run on her own two feet. He had snorted and replied simply with, "Not at the speed we run," which had only made her blush more. Gaara had formed some sort of sand birds that flew off in several directions and they took off.

And that was how Ginny had found herself flying through the forest at a breakneck speed. _I am going to die_ was her thought as she ducked her head lower to keep it from being taken off. Of course this only brought her into closer contact with Kankuro, her face pressed right into the curve between his neck and shoulder. He smelled of wood shavings and spices and...

_Ginny Molly Weasley you stop that right now_! It had to be the sleep deprivation, as well as the lingering effects of shock.

After travelling for an hour or so (what had been three days for them on foot) she saw what she needed to see, "There," she said, trying not to shout in Kankuro's ear. "That white tree over there, the dead one. The camp is about a day's walk from there."

With a twisting leap Kankuro landed next to the white tree. He put her down as Gaara landed beside them. Gaara immediately began forming more sand birds that flew off in separate directions.

"Tell us what your friends look like and we'll make sure they're okay." Kankuro said, turning to face her.

_Goddamn men and their bloody god-forsaken macho-ism! Harry did the same thing_! "You mean you want me to wait here, like a good little girl? Unaware of what is going on? Unaware if everyone is okay... much less alive? Unaware of how long you will even take?"

"You will only be in the way..."

"Bugger you!" He looked surprised by her venom, though he didn't seem to understand the curse. "I will go to help my friends and I'll stay out of your way. I am not some helpless little flower!" _At least not with my wand and that reminds me..._ "And besides, there is something else I need to take back from those scum." His eyes narrowed but he allowed her to get back on his back.

After barely fifteen minutes they stopped again.

"The clearing is over there. Be silent, don't get noticed, and don't do anything until the fight starts. We will not worry about saving you if you get caught, not until our objective has been met."

"Fine," and with that they were gone. They simply vanished. Ginny breathed in deeply then began to weave her way through the trees, getting closer to the clearing. She came up behind a tent and silently inched her way around it. Years of sneaking around her home and Hogwarts had come in handy.

When she peered around the tent though, she had to bite her lip hard to hold back a scream. Her hand flew to her mouth as blood began to well up around her teeth. Tears leaked out.

In the centre of the clearing surrounded by tents was a table set up almost like an alter. Five wands lay evenly spaced on top, three brooms and a sword were propped up against the table and a large back pack was sitting in front of it. A very evident trap.

It wasn't this that had made her nearly scream though. It was Neville and Luna strapped up on wooden poles, beaten unconscious.


	6. Suspicious Surprise and Startling Snake

So finally after that long wait I am updating! First off I am sorry for this huge long delay ESPECIALLY after I left it on such a cliff hanger. I only have this to say: It was not my intention at all! I thought I'd have it updated within two weeks or so not over a month. Anyway, enjoy and please leave comments! I live for comments!

Disclaimer: I don't even own the bed that I sleep in. Though I do own the bedsheets and pillows.

Edited by Inyx Dawn

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Chapter 6: Suspicious Surprise and Startling Snake.

* * *

Ginny winced as blood trickled down her lip, dripping off her chin. She had a feeling she might have almost bitten right through the lower lip. The pain however, helped her clear her mind. She had no doubt that the tents in the clearing were filled with Oni gang members. It was further confirmed by the murmurs she had heard from the tent she currently hid behind.

So how was she going to get over to Luna and Neville before they attacked her? She sighed mentally; it appeared she'd have to wait for whatever Kankuro and his brother were up to, to distract the men before she could get to her friends.

Only nothing was happening.

She was watching the sun creep up, filtering between the trees when it happened. Two figures appeared near the center of the clearing with small puffs of smoke. It wasn't Gaara or Kankuro though.

One was a man in mostly black and a green vest. He had his black hair pulled back in a sharp, spiky ponytail that looked so tight that it must have hurt. A metal band, much like Kankuro's was strapped to his arm with some sort of spiral design, though she couldn't really tell from this distance.

The girl was in a long black dress that had slits up the sides with a red sash. She held onto a black lacquered board and wore her blonde hair pulled up into four spiky ponytails. Her headband had the same symbol as Kankuro's. Were these allies? They had to be, but did they know who she was, or would they hurt her thinking she was part of the Oni-gang.

The man yawned, "Temari, why do you always bring me into these troublesome situations?"

She looked down at her crouching companion, "We need your particular talents to catch this guy alive."

"Hnn, seems to me I was just there and available."

"Well there's that too."

"So it's the guy with the white hair right?" He said it and Ginny remembered the masked man with long, shaggy white hair that had run a finger down her cheek, promising pain and something she didn't want to think about.

"Yeah, capture him, we need him alive." She sighed, looking around the clearing and noticing the captives behind them. "Hmm, wonder what happened to those guys?"

"Got on the wrong side of the rebels I suppose." He sighed, not looking too terribly worked up about them, which made Ginny bristle silently. Were these people all apathetic killers?! "What do you think the bandits are waiting for anyway?"

"Yeah, didn't we purposely appear here? Where are the little bugs, I wanna get started... Maybe they're all cowards." She yelled the last part and it was as though she had said magic words. The masked men burst from the tents surrounding them running full-tilt and screaming in wordless rage. There were hundreds of them.

_They're gonna get bloody well killed,_ was Ginny's thought, until the madly grinning Temari started cackling wildly. She picked up her lacquered board, unfurling it to reveal a massive white fan with three purple circles.

"Kamaitachi no Jutsu!" She shouted as she brought her fan slashing downward. Over a dozen men were sent flying backwards by a massive gust of wind that also took out a few tents. Ginny's eyes widened.

The man in the green vest had straightened, when the men charged, while reaching into his pockets. He was throwing sharp blades that multiplied in the air, striking men in any exposed and vital area. Slews of men were falling and more just kept appearing. It was like watching a car crash, she couldn't look away.

Suddenly, Ginny found herself being grabbed in a vice-like grip from behind. "What have we here? Another..." The man wasn't given a chance to finish. In a brutal move that her older brothers had taught her (which worked well because she had a very hard head as she had been told), she brought the back of her head crashing up under the man's jaw. She felt the edge of the mask bite into her scalp but ignored the pain as the man dropped her, startled.

She spun around and kicked him hard in the groin. Then grabbing his fallen mask she ducked low and ran, giving the clearing and its battle a wide berth. She dodged through the trees at the edge of the clearing, then, slipping on the mask, she dashed into the melee from the other side. No one seemed to notice the masked figure that was shorter than the rest and thankfully the two that were killing all masked men without any qualms were far enough away from her.

Hitting the center of the clearing she breathed with a sigh of relief to see the table still standing with the wands still there, albeit scattered a bit. The brooms had only fallen to the ground; however, someone seemed to have grabbed the sword to use in the battle. No matter, thought Ginny, they'd get it later with either Accio or a tracking spell. Ginny dived under the table pausing briefly to grab the wands. Selecting hers from the bunch, she felt instantly better, though not entirely safer.

She summoned the brooms that had been scattered and then cast sticking charms on them attaching them to Hermione's bag. She dragged the bag under the table then crept out from under it. Everyone seemed focused on the battle and She noticed blood soaked puppets had now joined the melee. Kankuro was around somewhere.

She went to get Neville down first. Casting a feather-light charm on him, she wrapped an arm around his waist and proceeded to cast a loosening charm on the ropes around his wrists. There was no way she was going to risk a cutting spell so close to a major artery. Carefully, she lowered him to the ground, cancelling the feather-light and casting ennervate.

"Ughh... what... who?" Ginny lifted the mask briefly to eliminate his fears, "Ginny?" He winced in pain as he tried to sit up.

"Neville thank god you're alive."

"Why are you wearing that mask?" he asked as she handed him his wand.

"Trying not to get killed, Neville, listen, we're in the middle of a battle, I'm going to get Luna down then we have to get out of this clearing. We can't fight against these people, they're much too strong and unlike us, completely willing to kill."

Neville nodded, though he looked like he was in immense pain. Ginny repeated the process with Luna and gave her, her wand. Then casting a feather-light charm on the bag they dashed out of the clearing. Half way to the edge of the forest a puppet jumped in her way and without pausing for thought she whipped off the mask. Though she couldn't see Kankuro anywhere the puppet immediately backed off and attacked the masked men beside her. They made it out of the clearing but Luna tripped over a root, breathing heavily as she tried to get back up.

"We'll wait here." Ginny whispered.

"Wait for what? Ginny, where're Hermione and Ron? What's going on?"

"Long story Neville, but we have to wait for the battle to end and hope our temporary allies," she winced slightly at the word, "are the ones that win."

"T-temporary... allies?"

Ginny looked at Neville, letting him know just how serious she was, "They may have saved us, but they'd kill us without any hesitation." Neville gulped and gripped his wand tightly watching the battle.

"They have been trained to kill since they knew how to walk, their power is tainted by blood but not influenced by it." Luna had her trademark faraway look on. "They kill to protect what is precious to them; the path of the ninja is a blood-soaked one."

Neville and Ginny stared at Luna for a moment. Then Ginny reached over and snapped her fingers in front of Luna's nose. The girl came back to herself and gave Ginny a look that on anyone else would seem bland. Ginny, however, recognized it as the closest thing Luna ever gave to a glare. All three gripped their wands and watched the raging battle.

And it was bloody. More of the masked Oni gang swarmed the area. There were hundreds of them and she didn't know where they were all coming from. Sand undulated and took out handfuls of men in sweeps. Gaara stood not too far away from his area of carnage, completely untouched.

Kankuro dogged attacks on his person attacking with more puppets then Ginny could count. He was grinning wildly, splashed head to foot in blood and gore. The blonde haired girl, (Temari?), stood on a tree a good way back slashing her fan back and forth, wind unfurled from it slicing up anything in its path, from tents, to trees, to bodies.

For awhile she couldn't see the green vested man, however she did notice the man with white hair; the same man that had ambushed their camp and threatened them. He was standing across the clearing grinning at the carnage, not seeming to care that it was his own men dying.

A small pop and smoke beside her made Ginny jump and aim her wand at the disturbance, Luna and Neville following suit. The green vested man simply raised an eyebrow, not seeming to understand the threat of three wands trained on him. He shrugged and said conversationally, "You must be the one Gaara warned us about. I won't hurt you, don't interrupt me." and he turned back to the battle.

They watched in confusion as he made several hand signs. Ginny was trying not to gag on the stench of blood coming from him. "Kagemane no Jutsu" he mumbled and to their amazement his own shadow started to stretch.

_They can control sand, puppets, and wind without wands, why not shadows_?! But this was magic used on a scale Ginny hadn't seen it used before.

They watched silently as the man's shadow began creeping around the battlefield, carefully avoiding the shadows of any people but running through shadows of trees and tents. His eyes were narrowed in concentration as the shadow edged closer to the man watching the battle with aloof cruelty. _What is it with guys that have white-blonde hair... are they all arseholes_? The Malfoy's certainly had been.

The tip of the shadow was just about to merge with the leader's shadow when the man dodged to the left in a flicker of motion.

"Shit." Green Vest muttered. The shadow began branching out attempting to catch the dodging leader. He suddenly put on a burst of speed, running full out around the battle, grinning madly. He dodged all the little branches of the shadow trying to touch his own. Ginny's heart leaped to her throat as she realized that he was headed right for them. He pulled two short swords from their sheaths, and while he was dodging Green Vest's shadow, his gaze was locked on Ginny's eyes.

_He's going to kill us_! Her mind was screaming but with her wand in her hand she did not fall into the blind panic she had been in before. She aimed her wand at the figure swiftly coming closer. _Not one step closer_!!

"_STUPIFY_!!" The spell shot from her wand hitting the man square on the chest. He was lifted off the ground with the force of it and flung backwards ripping through several smaller branches and trees before slamming with a sickening crunch into a thick tree trunk. He crumpled to the ground.

Silence rippled out in waves as masked men realized their leader had fallen. And suddenly they were all running, in every direction. When the clearing was empty except for the dead and the silent 'allies' Ginny finally lowered her wand.

No one spoke for several moments before Neville struggled to his feet, looking around for a moment confused. His eyes were feverish and bleary, and he didn't look like he even knew where he was anymore. He then raised his wand and murmured, "_Accio_ Sword of Gryffindor."

Luna laughed eerily from beside Ginny. Her eyes too, looked glassy with fever, "Magic meets chakra, cultures clash, and the boy-who-lived will now learn the power the Dark Lord can never have. Neville duck."

"Huh?" Neville looked down to where Luna sat by his feet. "What do you mean duc..." Luna knocked his feet out from under him and he fell into a heap just as the Gryffindor's sword sliced through the air where his head had been, burying itself to the hilt, in a tree. "Oh..." was Neville's response.

"People who summon sharp objects tend to become pin-cushions." she said to no one in particular.

"Didn't think of that." was Neville grumbled reply as he struggled to his feet. Several of his wounds had reopened (not they had been healed; rather, the blood had clotted). He winced as one particularly nasty gash started bleeding sluggishly.

That, as well as movement from the rest of the living in the clearing, reminded Ginny of their still potentially dangerous situation. She looked up to see a very surprised looking Kankuro check the pulse of the white haired man and suddenly Ginny was gripped with an intense fear. She had never killed someone before, what if she... but the force of that blast... and...

"He's alive," muttered Kankuro before pulling out some ropes and tying the man up. Ginny let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

Green Vest sighed from beside her, nearly scaring her out of her skin, and stood up wiping blood off his face with a cloth he had pulled from one of his pouches. "Looks like I really wasn't needed in the end... at all." He gave her a strange look as he continued to wipe blood from his face and neck; none of it his own. Ginny gagged.

"At least we had your pretty face here, eh Shikamaru?" So that was his name. Shikamaru shrugged and sent a very bored look at Temari who grinned back.

Kankuro stood up from the bound man and looked over at Ginny, Neville, and Luna. His lip seemed to twitch as he watched Neville's clumsy attempts at pulling out the sword from the tree. Finally huffing in frustration Neville pointed his wand and muttered "_Labefacio_." The sword began shaking back, forth, up, and down loosening itself and with one final tug Neville freed the sword. Gripping it in his right hand he held his wand in his left, still not looking like he knew where he was or what was going on. Rather he looked as though he might pass out, though he still cut an imposing figure.

"So how the hell did you do that?" Kankuro turned to her and narrowed his eyes, "No hand seals, no jutsu, just a word and he goes flying, another word and a sword comes flying out of nowhere, a third word and it starts wiggling in a tree loosening itself."

"Uh, well, it's normally not that strong." Ginny muttered under her breath, thinking about her scarily strong stupefy, "It's only supposed to knock someone out." This was just great, they hadn't seen her as a threat before, but now they were suspicious. Didn't they recognize wands and magic? Didn't they have any bloody wizards in this world?! And why did her magic keep acting funny?!

"I think," came the cold, monotone voice of Gaara, sending chills down her spine, "that it is time you tell us who, exactly, you are."

* * *

OoOoO

* * *

Harry watched in amazement as Naruto dodged his silver haired teacher, Kakashi's, fist and kicked out with enough force to break bones. The man wasn't there to meet his foot however, disappearing in a puff of smoke. The two had been duelling... sorry... sparring since early that morning and now the sun was nearing its zenith.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" And suddenly there were five Naruto's attacking Kakashi-san. _Hermione wouldn't believe this... hell I'm seeing it and I find it hard to believe_. Each clone vanished in a puff of smoke when it was hit with a solid force. And with a speed that made Harry completely miss the move, Naruto was sent sprawling backwards landing hard on the ground.

Before he could move his teacher was there, blade resting on Naruto's throat.

"Why can't I ever beat you?" muttered Naruto as Kakashi-san helped him up

"Naruto I have been training with you for eight years, most of what you know I taught you, except what you learned from Jiraiya-sama." He ruffled the blonde's hair and started to walk off, "Oh yeah, Rock Lee and Gai want you to work with them tomorrow." He called over his shoulder.

Naruto shuddered in mock horror and turned to Harry grinning. "What'cha think?"

"I've never seen anything like it." said Harry honestly and with a grin. "I see what you mean about me being helpless compared to people here my age." Harry smirked again, "Though if I must say, with my wand I'm pretty formidable." Then he sighed, he felt way too vulnerable without his wand.

As if reading his thoughts Naruto smiled comfortingly, "Don't worry, Tsunade Baa-chan is finalizing some plans. Once they're done we'll be able to give you your wand back." The blonde suddenly hopped up and stretched. "Come on! Let's get some ramen, my treat, and then we'll go get you some supplies." Harry grinned again and followed his new hyper-active friend.

You'd think he'd be tired after a workout like that, but it's like he barely did anything...

Harry was jolted out of his thoughts when Naruto jumped back with a yell. A snake was slithering across the ground, making its way to a nearby bush. Naruto reached into his pouch as if to go for a throwing knife when Harry stayed his hand. "What's the problem?"

"I hate snakes." was Naruto's very bitter and vicious reply. Harry sighed, it seemed no matter which world it was, snakes were reviled as the source of all evil.

He crouched down ignoring Naruto's widening eyes, reached inside himself and spoke.

"_What are you doing so far from shelter serpent brother? People like this one fear you and would kill you given the chance. There is no hiding out in the open._"

The snake froze and looked him full on. Naruto froze as well but Harry couldn't see his expression. When the snake answered it ignored Harry's question.

"_Though it is true the more powerful of us can speak human tongue_," Harry nearly had to choke back a laugh at the idea of a snake speaking human language, "_the collective memory of my ancestors has never some across those who can speak our native tongue_."

"_It is one of my skills_."

"_Yes we know, it is called Parslemouth right? The other serpent speaker has told us about it, he is very powerful, do you know him_?"

Harry's sharp intake of breath made Naruto behind him worry, especially when the boy fell back, unable to support himself. He looked horrified.

"_I know him, he is evil... he... he would not care if he destroyed you in the process of getting what he wants. You should not trust him_."

The snake reared up on its belly, looking affronted, "_We snakes are proud creatures, we serve those with enough power to suit our needs, but if they become a threat to us we will not answer their call. It is our choice, he is powerful and he has not shown himself to be treacherous yet_."

Harry hung his head, hands trembling in rage and fear. The snake continued more gently, "_We can see that you fear him greatly, we will not tell him of you. But he may find you anyway. Be warned young human brother_." With that the serpent started away.

"_Wait_!" Harry called after her, "_Thank you, what is your name_?"

The snake cocked it's head as if surprised, "_My name is Azelz though it matters not, I am not one of the ones that get called_."

"_It matters to me, I am Harry_." If snakes could smile Harry swore that Azlez would be grinning.

"_It is pleasant to meet you Harry, may the mother snake guide your path. Maybe we shall see each other again_."

Harry ignored Naruto's attempts to find out what had happened. He buried his face in his hands content to let himself rage against his fate, even if only for a bit. It seemed he would never escape his destiny.

Voldemort was here.

* * *

So yeah, there ya go. Might be a few weeks before the update, gotta finish exams.

You guys rock!

And please leave more comments.

Love ya all!


	7. Time for Explanation

Wow, so, sorry this took so long to update. I'm so glad you guys are sticking with me. I did receive a comment that said my character growth wasn't there and I have to disagree. Harry's only been there about two weeks, there hasn't been time for character growth yet. Give it time people, but also thanks to that comment I know what I need to be looking out for so don't think it was an unwelcome comment. All comments but nasty, pointless ones are welcome.

Also I'm sorry about the Konohana/Konoha thing I've got some people telling me one way others telling me the other way, I thought I changed that already but I guess I have to look through it again. I know it's Konoha.

Anyway, enough of me babbling. On with the story!

Edited by Inyx Dawn

* * *

Chapter 7: Time for Explanations

* * *

When Hermione woke it was with such force that her entire body twitched violently. She sat up, breathing hard, eyes wide and saw nothing. The dark was so black it felt solid, as though it was pressing against her eyeballs.

"Oh Gods, I hope I have not gone blind." she whispered, heart still in her throat as she ran her fingers over her eyes, careful not to accidentally jab herself. She was confused. The last thing she remembered was a flash of light and a painful burning sensation as she and Ron had been thrown back. _Where am I_?_ For that matter where is Ron_?

Taking deep calming breaths as she leaned forward, she stretched her hands out to judge the space around her. Almost immediately her hand bumped into a sandy wall. Running her hand up the wall she noted the way it curved inward and over her head. "I see." she muttered, she was in an incredibly small, dome-shaped room, which hopefully meant she was in the dark and not... blind.

A moan from beside her caused her to freeze, hand flying to her side, where her wand normally rested in it's holster. Wandless and sightless, she had no idea what to do.

"...mione..." Ron's voice floated through the black and the muscles in her shoulders and back relaxed. Using her hands she felt around the dark sandy floor till she hit cloth. Ron was still obviously asleep and having a bad dream, but he calmed under her touch, his magic most likely recognizing hers.

Sighing she tried to figure out how they had gotten there, where it was, and how in the bloody hell they were going to get out. "Thinking, after all," she muttered with a touch of bitterness, "is something you're supposed to be good at.

O_O

It had been after Harry and Ron had destroyed the stupid, cursed locket that had been one of Voldemort's horocruxes. She had been so relieved to see Ron again, alive and relatively unharmed. But she had been furious as well. Did he not have any clue at all how worried she had been? Her and Harry, that is. She had felt like Ron had slapped her when he had left, so when he came back she might have overreacted a bit.

Okay she had definitely overreacted. But then the Death Eaters had come and all her anger seemed so trivial.

Apparently the Dark Lord's name had been Tabooed. Anytime someone said it, the Death Eaters would be alerted to that person's location. The Death Eaters that had come already had several prisoners locked in a magical cage.

Neville had been sitting behind several confused looking dwarves, wide eyed and tied up. Ginny had been bound and gagged and was still spitting foul-mouthed curses around the cloth stuffed into her mouth. She had paled a bit and gone still when she saw Harry.

Luna was not tied up and was staring off into space as if not realizing the danger she was in. Luna, in Hermione's opinion, was becoming odder as time went by.

Ron's eyes had widened when the Death Eaters had surrounded them and began firing curses and hexes. Then he had done something that had made everyone's jaw drop and Hermione's heart swell with pride.

He tightened his grip on the Sword of Gryffindor and ran forward. He shot a quick tripping spell at a Death Eater that had charged him and using the falling Death Eater as leverage and a stepping-stool he leaped over the other Death Eaters, while bringing the sword crashing down in an arc that shattered the cage to pieces. He then tumbled into a graceless heap that was all limbs, but it had still been amazing.

The goblins had of course run. Goblins were very much builders and creators and well, bankers. They did not involve themselves with wizards except to bank for them; very much neutral creatures. They did however untie Ginny and Neville before leaving.

Luna had used the distraction to grab their wands and broomsticks from the Death Eater holding onto them and was lazily shielding herself and casting hexes. Ginny, after getting her own wand, furiously left no quarter. She shot Harry a nasty look after shielding his back from a stunner. Hermione had seen that coming a mile away but apparently Harry hadn't, judging by his startled look. Really what had he been expecting? He had treated her like a child and not an equal this past year; someone to be protected.

Ginny did not like being treated like that.

After breaking the cage Ron had begun to swing wildly, attempting to catch however many Death Eaters he could on the sharp blade. His lack of finesse and use of brute force felled at least two before a stunner was sent on him. He barely dodged it when the sword was knocked flying out of his hands, nearly skewering Neville on the downfall.

Neville grabbed it and with considerably more skill, to everyone's surprise, began fighting a wildly laughing masked woman, who had conjured a sword of her own.

It must have been Bellatrix because Neville's face was no longer unsure. Rather it had a hard set and his eyes blazed with hatred.

Hermione had her own hands full with two Death Eaters that were keeping her well occupied when she saw the woman. Ethereal, somewhat translucent, and glowing softly the woman could have been a ghost, especially since she was floating above the battle, except ghosts were colourless. This woman had long ankle length red hair that wafted around her as though she was suspended in liquid. In her hands she held a clear turquoise ball.

She was watching the battle with something akin to a smirk on her face, as though she had seen better, but was impressed none-the-less. And as Hermione dodged another spell the woman tossed the ball.

It arched over the battle and exploded into a billion glittering fragments. The world went blue and exploded in pain.

;P

"When I awoke I was alone." Ginny said, rubbing her wand subconsciously. She tried not to meet the unbelieving stares she was receiving from the ninja warriors. "It took me awhile to find the others."

Indeed it had. Neville and the Death Eater, who had ended up being Bellatrix, had landed not too far from her but due to the dense foliage it had taken her two days till she literally ran into him. Bellatrix had apparently gripped her arm in immense pain before apparating away and when they finally found Hermione and Luna they found that the same thing had happened to the Death Eaters that had landed with them.

Hermione had been going crazy with worry over the still missing Harry and Ron. She calmed down a bit when they found Ron, immediately running over to him and kissing him soundly. Ron had looked like he'd been hit with a bowtruckle and Ginny had burst out laughing at him. It surprised her that it took them so long to get around to this point. Harry would have been relieved, which was the only problem. They had yet to run into Harry, they couldn't find him. Even Hermione's tracking spells had been going haywire and leading nowhere.

In fact everything was going haywire. Every spell was either supercharged or went wonky when cast. Hermione had cast a clotting charm on a large gash that ran through Ron's left arm and it had healed completely.

When they found Ron had also been when they ran into the Oni Gang and for two days they had been held captive while Hermione speculated on their location and the reasons behind their magical problems. That the men had not removed their wands led Hermione to believe that they were muggles. But it didn't explain how they had moved with such speed and captured them with such ease in Ginny's opinion.

So they had been underestimated when they had been locked up and had easily escaped at an opportune moment. Hermione had then showed them the translation spell quickly and they used it on the man that had been guarding them.

They should have just run.

Being overconfident that they were facing muggles, albeit fast ones, they had missed the chance to run and had they taken it they would have gotten away with ease. As it was Luna and Neville had been recaptured and their things, as well as their wands, had been taken.

"We ran then, Hermione, Ron, and I, we thought if we got away we could sneak back and rescue Luna and Neville. But we could never shake them for any long periods of time. And that's where we met you," finished Ginny, looking exhausted. She had not told them everything. Such as the fact that they had not found Harry and that Hermione thought that they had somehow been transported back in time... or to another world.

Kankuro crouched down beside her and picked her wand out from where she was rolling it between her fingers. She looked at him strangely. "How does it work?" he asked.

"Well," Ginny hesitated on telling him, but figured more harm would come from not being forthcoming with information to these people, "the wand chooses it's user so this one might not work smoothly for you, but basically you just channel your magic into it, move it in the proper way, and say the incantation."

He raised an eyebrow. "My magic?"

"Yeah, what you use to do all that stuff you were doing before." she said, these people must be powerful to use magic with such ease and without wands. "Here, flick your wrist like this and say reducto. Aim for the tree."

"Chakra," he said before he did as she instructed and the tree in question was left with a splintered hole in the trunk. The tree groaned and tipped to the side but didn't fall. "I get the feeling it doesn't like me," murmured Kankuro to himself as he stared oddly at the wooden stick in his hand.

"Yeah, like I said, it's my wand, it chose me, and it synchronizes with my magic." She took it back from him, half afraid that he would keep it. "I'd say you'd need to get your own but judging by the way you use magi... chakra, you don't need it." She paused, "Only really powerful wizards and witches can use wandless magic with intent."

Gaara looked over at Temari who shrugged, "Unless she's extraordinarily good at lying," she said, answering the unasked question, "she's been telling the truth." Ginny was surprised to find that Temari could tell if someone was being truthful without veritaserum. Then she berated herself for constantly being surprised by these people. It was obvious they could do things that wizards couldn't.

"We need to get going," said Gaara looking pointedly at his allies, "I cannot be away from the village much longer." He turned to Ginny and Neville; Luna ignored him as she continued to work on fixing her wounds. "You will come with us for now."

Ginny suppressed the urge to role her eyes, not sure how he'd react to that. It had been obvious that they would go with them. How else would they get Hermione and Ron?

O~P

Harry Potter was once more sitting in front of the very intimidating Hokage, who was once more, looking rather brassed off.

"Naruto tells me you woke up screaming in pain this morning and threw up. And that later you had a little chat with a snake; in the snakes own language."

Harry nodded slowly.

"Mind elaborating?"

Naturally, Harry hesitated. Between adults that hated him, adults that tried to kill him, adults that manipulated him, adults that made themselves unapproachable, and adults that tended to act more his age and more like friends he was naturally wary about talking to adults about his problems.

Especially since Dumbledore had been killed by the man that he had sworn to everyone was on their side.

The Hokage sighed when Harry remained silent for too long, "Let me tell you a story kid." She said when Harry met her eyes, "These are the details that all the villagers know so listen up. Years ago there was a man in our village with an affinity for snakes. He was a bastard, obsessed with discovering the secrets to immortality." She noted the way his eyes widened exponentially, "He did a lot of horrible shit and he was really powerful, scarily so." She tossed back a glass of sake, eyes no longer entirely focused on Harry. Pouring herself another glass she continued, "But even with all his powers and snake related tricks, he couldn't actually speak snake. Snakes of a certain calibre can speak human languages, but no human before you has ever been able to speak the snake's language."

She couldn't figure out the look on his face and Tsunade prided herself on her ability to read people. The last one to stump her so thoroughly was Naruto.

"So you'll understand when I say, don't let people catch you talking to snakes here. That coupled with the fact that you'll always be with Naruto will bring suspicion down on you." Harry narrowed his eyes at that, wondering what Naruto had to do with it, "You'll also understand why I'm demanding you lay my fears to rest and tell me what you and snakey were talking about and what this morning's shit was about."

Harry almost snorted at her mention of allaying her fears, since she didn't look much fearful. Then sighing he met her eyes and said, "The two things are related and they have to do with something I left out of my story."

Her eyes narrowed and she growled dangerously causing Harry to raise his hands in a placating gesture, "I'm sorry but I didn't think any of this followed me here. I didn't know he was also in this world."

"Who?" she demanded, then, "wait; start at the beginning."

And he did. He didn't share everything, just the major details of why Voldemort was after him, how he had come back, and that he was connected to the man through his scar.

"Shit," she muttered, "what the hell are your elders thinking sending you out to battle a demon without training you? What the hell do you learn at that school of yours? Come to think of it," she demanded, really getting into her rant, "what the hell's with waiting till you're eleven? Best learning years are ages four and up."

Harry could only stare at her. Age four? Have these shinobi been training since they turned four? No wonder most of them were lethal.

Now that he thought of it, wasn't the reason Harry was so fast due to the fact that he'd been running from Dudley and his gang since he'd been able to walk? It got him thinking. If they had been training him since he was a kid, wouldn't he be more prepared to face Voldemort? And surely a life of training to be a weapon would have been better then living with the Dursley's.

Harry snorted in derision.

Tsunade watched the boy struggle internally for some time. Emotions flickered across his face from confusion, to something akin to outrage before he finally snorted and flopped back into his chair. She raised an eyebrow but decided to leave his thoughts to him.

"I have one more issue I need to discuss with you before I let you go." Harry looked up, questioningly, "I assume you want your wand back, right?"

His eyes went wide again, "Yeah."

"Okay, while you may be more like a civilian than anything else, with that wand you can obviously hold your own with just magic right?"

Harry paused, than nodded slowly.

"I thought so. Good to see you being truthful gaki. Since you could be a potential danger to us we can't just let you stay here no strings attached. Therefore the Council has asked, and I agree, that we would like you to blood-bind yourself to Konoha..."

Harry's eyes widened and his skin paled drastically as the blood drained from his face, "NO!"

Tsunade was startled by the venom in his answer and the way the boy jumped from his seat, "And why, may I ask, do you say no?" She leaned forward menacingly.

"No one will ever use my blood again for anything, except me to live." He bit out, looking really angry about something and was rubbing his right arm where Tsunade knew, from Sakura's reports, that a long scar ran from inner elbow to wrist.

"Oh don't be a baby," Tsunade retorted getting angry herself as she realized there was more important stuff that the boy was hiding from her. "It's just a few drops of blood. It binds you to the village ensuring your loyalty and giving you our protection."

"But I can still betray you right?" he demanded with a feverish look in his eye, "And you can still betray me right?"

Tsunade looked surprised, "Well yes. But if you betrayed us you'd lose our protection and we wouldn't betray those under our protection."

"But you could."

"We wouldn't," she said slamming his fist on the table causing the entire solid wooden table to shudder violently.

"Whatever," Harry snorted, "what if I told you that by blood binding me you'd be blood binding Voldemort?"

"What?" Tsunade's voice was lowering dangerously.

"The last person to use my blood was Voldemort. It's how he created himself a new body, 'Bone of the father, flesh of the servant, blood of the enemy.' He is tied to me by blood, mine runs through the veins of his new body."

"Then what do you suggest," growled Tsunade, "how about we just kill you or break your wand and kick you out?"

"Well, you could do that, although I'm not entirely sure it's possible for anyone but Voldemort to kill me yet, or we could make a Wizard's Oath."

"Explain."

"A Wizard's Oath, is a magical pact that binds those who make it to the words of the oath. If the oath is broken the one who broke it dies an excruciatingly painful death when the magic causes their blood to boil and stream out of every pore and opening in the body."

Tsunade was the one to widen her eyes this time.

"That is why you have to be extraordinarily careful with the wording of the oath, so accidents don't happen. And before you ask, your chakra seems really close to being like my magic so I think it'll still work. I'd just have to explain it to you more thoroughly."

Tsunade leaned back into her chair and steepled her fingers. "I'd have to discuss it with the Council and the Elders, but tell me, how would you word this oath?"

'~'

It had taken the elders some persuasion, including a demonstration with a prisoner that was to be executed anyway.

Harry felt more than a little nauseated after that display.

Then he made the oath; that he would never intentionally harm Konoha, its residents, and its allies without express permission or unless they attacked first with the intent of killing him or if (for whatever reason) it was absolutely unavoidable and would save the lives of others. In return they would lend him their protection so long as he stayed in that world and stayed loyal to them. The oath would become void if he left that world.

There had been a tense moment when they'd finished the oath. Instead of the magic enveloping Harry and Tsunade as it should have, it pulsed and washed out over the entire village. Harry put it down to the freaky things his magic seemed to be doing since entering this world.

He felt much better with his wand once more in its holster but the whole experience had made him overtly aware of the fact that without that eleven inch piece of holly he was almost helpless.

So he accepted Naruto's invitation to join him in training.

* * *

Please Review!!


	8. Getting to Know You

'And I say baby, it's 3 am I must be lonely' or at least slightly obsessed. I am soooo tired but I really pushed this for you guys (and it's not really 3am it's 12am but why quibble over details). I was going for a light airy chapter and I think it worked out well.

Edited by Inyx Dawn

* * *

Chapter 8: Getting to Know You.

* * *

"Urrgh... Merlin I think... I'm going to die." Harry panted as he flopped bonelessly to the ground. Staring up at the blue sky he tried to not focus on the array of aches that every muscle seemed to have.

A boy in a tight (but thankfully not _too_ tight) green body suit, with the worst possible hair cut Harry had ever seen since the one his aunt had given him when he was ten (that he had magically grown out overnight), leaned over him with an earnest look on his face. "Do not give up Harry-san," said Rock Lee with a very cheerful enthusiasm that Harry just did not share right at the moment, "We must keep going and use to our full potential the gifts of our youth! We must blossom in the sweat of our exuberance and the inner power of our bodies!"

"Huh?"

"Don't try to understand him," Naruto said, crouching down next to the prone Harry, "it's an impossible feat. Lee, you can't expect miracles in the first day." Harry inwardly debated on if he wanted to be insulted by that comment. He then decided it was way too much effort.

"Miracles? The boy won't take much. He's already really fast and he has wicked reflexes." said the bigger guy, Chouji, as he munched through a bag of chips, "better than mine anyway."

"Chouji... never mind," the girl with long blonde hair, Ino, looked incredibly hesitant to finish her sentence. Harry could take a guess at what she had been about to say. Naruto had taken him aside before the others had shown up to warn him about ever mentioning the word fat or any of its derivatives around Chouji. The guy was really sensitive about his weight. Violently so.

Clouds over the training ground formed small puffs that lazily meandered across the sky, floating off to wherever they were going. Harry felt relaxed in a way he hadn't felt for a really long time. His body was too sore to focus on depressing thoughts, rather they skirted around the edge of his mind, not really disturbing the peaceful emptiness that he had descended into. He missed his friends sure, and seeing the way Naruto and his friends interacted made the ache a little bigger, but he still felt relaxed... if a little sore.

"Let's go swimming!" Naruto shouted as he jumped up. He never seemed to lack in energy. It made Harry's head spin sometimes.

"Can't," said Ino as she lithely jumped up from her spot on the ground, "I have twenty minutes to get to class or the little kiddies will think they have a free period." She grinned wickedly, sending a tiny chill down Harry's spine, "Wouldn't want them to think that now, would I?"

Ino was a teacher in the local ninja school, training the new generation. Harry was slightly awed that these people his age were already doing their life's work. They had been since they were roughly twelve.

Aside from defeating Voldemort Harry hadn't really thought about what he wanted to do; never really thought past the concept of attempting to survive a fight against a man way older, way more experienced, and way more powerful than him.

Though if he got stuck here he could make a fortune selling "peculiar" items.

If Voldemort didn't find him first.

_And there goes my nice, relaxed mood_. Harry thought, as he followed the others through the town and down towards the lake just outside the abandoned area of town. Harry had heard whispers about the Uchiha family betrayal and massacre. He didn't know the whole story, just snippets here and there from gossips he passed when wandering around the town with Naruto. He had been curious enough to want to ask about it, but so far had kept from doing so. He had noticed the way Naruto's eyes had tightened at the name Uchiha. Much like Harry knew his own did at the mention of his godfather, Sirius.

There was a lot that made Harry curious in Konoha, really. Like whom was this elusive Sasuke that he had heard mentioned several times? And the name Akatzuki had been whispered as well. Like why a lot of the villagers watched Naruto with respect while the others watched him distrustfully and with hatred. If Naruto noticed, he never reacted to them.

It was okay that he had his secrets though. Harry had his own. The Hokage had thankfully told him that no one but the Elders and a few choice others would know about his connection with Voldemort. He didn't want Naruto to know about it, didn't want to see the pity in his eyes, or the horror that had been in other eyes.

Reaching the lake Harry stripped down with the others, then cast a water repellent charm on his glasses and dragon leather wand holster before slipping the wand back in and securing it.

"What did you do that for?" asked Naruto, watching with fascination. He liked watching Harry do magical things just as much as Harry liked watching Naruto do his crazy jutsus.

"Water repellent charm? I'm blinder then a bat without my glasses, lets me swim with them on. And I never like to leave my wand out of easy access."

"Cool." Naruto smiled in understanding. Then his smile turned absolutely devious as he made several familiar hand gestures. There was a puff of smoke and Harry felt arms grab him. With barely enough time to yelp he was suddenly flying through the air after several cloned Naruto's tossed him into the water.

O'.'O

The sun was already setting when the boys started for home, dripping wet.

"Do you ever get tired at all?" an exhausted Harry asked, after Naruto finally stopped talking for a moment.

The blonde stopped his backwards walking and his eyes unfocused a bit as they often did when Harry asked a question that had a really complicated answer.

"I have a really big chakra reserve." He finally said, "It's why I heal really fast and why I can keep going when everyone else is exhausted. Took me forever to learn to fully harness it without... hurting myself and others."

Harry sensed there was a lot more to the question and the answer Naruto had given him but like with many other things involving Naruto he decided not to push it. Instead he smiled.

"I've been told I have a really big magical reserve," he offered as they continued to walk, "More so then anyone my age and some older than me. In a magical battle I last longer than most of my friends, or at least I would if I wasn't usually being targeted by over half of however many Death Eaters we come up against. But Naruto, you bloody well put me to shame."

Naruto smiled, but it was rather bitter.

#_#

"No more!" Harry shouted from the kitchen, startling Naruto, who was studying several scrolls with battle formations and techniques.

"Nani?" he said, sticking his head through the kitchen door, "no more what?"

"No more ramen!" Harry cried in complete exasperation.

"NANI!" Naruto's shout practically shook the rafters as the blonde began to panic, "I thought I had lots more left! Enough for two more weeks!" Harry realized the misunderstanding that the other boy had and nearly laughed out loud. He held it in because he knew it would be taken the wrong way and possibly drive the blonde into the blind panic that he was fast approaching as he continued to rant.

"No, Naruto," Harry interjected, "not what I meant," Naruto instantly calmed down, "I meant that I can't take eating nothing but ramen and a choice few other things all the time anymore. I like the stuff but I need some variety." Naruto stared at him like he was spouting Pig Latin. "How you have remained so healthy eating almost nothing but ramen I will never know. But if we are living together I need some variety in the meals."

"That's all well and good," Naruto said slowly, not looking overtly thrilled with the prospect of not having ramen for every other meal, "but I can't cook worth anything."

"Lucky for you I can." replied Harry cheerfully as he grabbed a scrap of parchment and one of the strange pen-like quills Naruto had stashed in odd places. He started making a list, still finding himself slightly unnerved by the way everything he wrote came out in Japanese characters when he was clearly thinking in English.

"Where'd you learn to cook?" the question had been innocent enough, but it still made Harry freeze. He just did not want to go anywhere near that area of conversation.

He answered with a blithesome tone that had come from many years of practice, "Been cooking since I could see over the stove top." with a step stool, but there was no need to mention that part. Or the heavy objects in the shape of frying pans that were aimed at his head any time he even slightly burned the food.

"Come on, let's go to the market." He said as he folded the finished list and stuffed it in his pocket. Naruto grumbled, leaving his scrolls where they were. He grabbed his orange and black jacket and followed Harry out the door.

"Why," Harry asked as they descended the stairs of the apartment building, "do you wear such a, uh, vibrant shade of orange? Aren't ninja supposed to be stealthy?"

Naruto grinned, "I used to wear it because it was all I could afford before I joined a team and started getting paid for missions. By that time I was wearing it just to annoy everyone. Now I wear it because it's like my trade mark and it won't affect my stealth, not any more at least. One of the best compliments I've ever received from Kakashi-sensei was after I turned seventeen. He told me that even with his eye, if I didn't want to be seen, I wouldn't be seen."

"Kakashi-san is not one for compliments, I take it."

"Nah, even when he was actually, well officially, my teacher he never really focused on me. No one expected me to get really far so they all kinda shunted me to the background. But I kept surprising them," the smirk on his lips was a touch bitter but the laughter in his eyes was genuine, "I've become known as Konoha's number one most surprising ninja! Some people still call me that."

"Why didn't people expect much of you?" Harry was a bit surprised at that. Hadn't Naruto said he was really powerful. It was like what happened to Harry, only in reverse. With Harry everyone kept expected to much from him.

"I had a lot of power, but no control and no head for strategy or planning." He said as they entered the market district, "I've gotten better, though it took a lot for me to realize that I needed more than just power and strong jutsus"

"But once you did you surprised us all once again," came a smooth, deep voice from behind them.

Harry's eyes widened as he whirled around startled, but Naruto just grinned like a lazy cat and said, "Hey Neji." before turning around to face the man behind them. He was tall, was the first thing Harry registered, wearing loose white robes of some style that Harry couldn't name and a green vest that indicated his rank as a higher up ninja. He seemed very stoic, long ebony black hair framing a face that was carefully blank. The second thing Harry noticed was the man's eyes. They were a pale greyish purple and had that milky look that the blind had, but the way his eyes gave Harry the once over made Harry realize that the man was not in the least bit blind.

"This is Potter-san?" Neji asked, still keeping his uncanny gaze on Harry, who swallowed.

"Yeah, nice to meet you," Harry said, giving the polite bow that Naruto had shown him. Neji returned it.

"And you. What are you doing?" he asked, apparently trying to make conversation, though it came out more like an interrogation. Harry got the feeling Neji didn't normally converse much.

"Shopping for food that isn't ramen," Harry replied and would have sworn Neji quirked his lips in what seemed to be a barely perceptible smile.

"I have not known anyone to be able to survive an all ramen diet as Naruto does." and Harry grinned, deciding that he liked Neji. Something flickered across Neji's face when Harry smiled but he turned to Naruto and said, "Hinata-san asked me to relay a message to you. Negotiations are almost finished and she would like to meet with you after they are complete."

The furious blush that bloomed over Naruto's face made Harry's lingering grin widen. This looked like a story he had to hear.

As Neji left he mused out loud, "So he was one of the Hyuga clan you told me about, right?" Naruto nodded, "so... Hinata-san eh?"

Once more Naruto's face went red as he suddenly shouted, "Shopping! We were going shopping! Let's focus on the shopping!" before stalking off towards the first booth in the market. Harry followed behind, snickering to himself.

U_U

She didn't know what she'd been expecting when they'd been brought back to the Village Hidden in the Sand. It certainly hadn't been the pyramid-like fortress walls or the thriving community that lived within. She certainly hadn't been expecting to be treated like a guest, albeit a not entirely trusted guest.

But here she was, a week later, staying in a small, sandy-walled house that had been given to them for the time being while they recuperated from their injuries. Of course they had been thoroughly interrogated by some very scary people first. So far everyone she met that wore the metal head bands (or arm bands in some cases) was terrifying in one way or another. Their interrogators had been especially interested in the Death Eaters that may or may not be in this world, their habits, their strengths, any weaknesses, etc.

And they really hadn't liked the way they described Voldemort. Though they hadn't said why, their eyes had lit with something like recognition. But Voldemort couldn't possibly be known here could he?

Ginny had been confused as to why they had been let go with only one escort but Hermione had put it down to human nature. They had been honest enough to keep their 'hosts' from killing them but closed up enough to not come across as so open that they would be suspicious.

Then she'd mumbled something about truth being stranger than fiction, which Ginny had found even more confusing. Until Luna had pointed out that they weren't being trusted anyway because their one single 'escort' could and probably would kill them if they proved to be a threat.

Ginny had no doubt that it was true. She had seen for herself how easily these ninja could kill.

During the first week they started getting to know this world a bit better then they had while wandering around the countryside. Ginny found this world as fascinating as she did terrifying.

When she wasn't visiting Neville and Luna (doctors had them bedridden until they were told otherwise) she was avoiding Hermione and Ron.

"Why do you keep avoiding your brother and friend?" she started and looked over her shoulder at Kankuro from where she sat on the roof of the house. The sun setting behind him made him look particularly demonic and she found herself repressing a shudder.

"They're driving me nuts." was her reply as she turned back around, not entirely trusting him to her back but not really seeing how it made a difference. He dropped down next to her with a liquid grace and quirked an eyebrow at her causing her to stifle a giggle. The way his fierce warrior markings moved to encompass the expression was just too... strange not to giggle at.

"Back home, long before we came here, they were working on something with Harry. A mission of sorts, I don't know what. They couldn't share it with anyone, they wanted to protect us." She couldn't keep the bitter tone out of her voice. Always protected, always defended and in the end, still in as much danger as everyone else...

"Thing was, not even a month after they left on their... mission, Voldemort took over, so none of us were safe; especially not me, Neville, Luna and a bunch of others, since we were known friends of Harry Potter." They had focused on her especially. After all it had been common knowledge that she had been dating Harry. So really, Harry's whole 'we gotta stop seeing each other so you'll be safe from those seeking to harm me by harming you' speech had been hogwash and Harry should have realized that from the start. It was the reason she had run with Luna and Neville. They had plans for her that... she didn't want to think about.

The whole thing had really put a lot of different things into perspective for her.

"Harry's the other boy you think might have come here? The friend you can't find. Why would you be watched for associating with him?" Oh crap, she'd let that slip, hadn't she.

"Honestly," she said, "I can't really answer that question; it's not my answer to give. But it has to do with why Hermione and Ron are driving me nuts. They're antsy about finding Harry, even though they don't know if they can finish their mission here, whatever it is, because even in another world they can't tell me what it is." she finished with a huff. Kankuro looked faintly amused by her.

"Well," he said after they had been silent for a bit. "Gaara has invited you to stay here for as long as need be in thanks for helping us catch Yoko." Yoko had ended up being the white-haired man Ginny had blasted with her scarily strong stunning charm-turned-curse. Hermione was working on a theory about the magic of this world that Ginny just didn't care to hear. All she knew was that she was thankful she hadn't killed the man. She had never killed before and she didn't know if she would ever be able to.

Luna had once told her that she was 'vivid life' and it was one of the more understandable compliments her friend had given her.

"Of course you will always have an escort while you are here," Kankuro continued, rousing her from her thoughts, "if you decide to stay here on a more permanent level other issues will be discussed then."

She smiled faintly at the idea of staying here. She didn't know if they could find a way home, didn't know if they'd find Harry, didn't even know how many of Voldemort's followers were here. She decided then and there however, that it wasn't everyday that one got thrown into another world and she for one (unlike Ron and Hermione apparently) was going to enjoy it.

Turning to Kankuro who was watching her with a blank look on his painted features her smile widened. "I think," she began, "that we got off to a rocky start and the last week has been really hectic and not very conductive to meeting new people." He nodded slightly, "So proper introductions are in order, ones that are not given under extreme duress. I am Ginny Weasley, or Weasley Ginny as your culture would call me. It's nice to meet you."

Since she had met Kankuro she had been in parts terrified, horrified, and amazed by the ninja. So when he smiled full out for the first time she couldn't help but relax. Then...

"Why are you holding out your hand?"

* * *

So REVIEW! PLEASE! Also if anyone spots any mistakes please tell me, I've been trying to edit but I'm really bad at editing my own work.

I like the way this chapter turned out... I hope you guys did too.


	9. That Which Causes Reactions

Hey! Yay me for updating so soon, eh?

Anyway, this chapter starts to hint at things that have happened according to my version of the Naruto world. Which is really close to the manga but I'm changing things around a bit.

Also fair warning, there will be slash ahead, though this particular story will never get too graphic. There will be het ahead too so fair warning for that. Although I don't know yet if there will be femslash... Maybe Hermione will dump Ron and fall madly for Ginny! Okay I'm just kidding.

Enjoy.

Edited by Inyx Dawn

* * *

Chapter 9: That Which Causes Reactions

* * *

"So they were going to replace Hinata-chan as heir to the Hyuga clan with her younger sister. But Hinata has grown a lot stronger in the past five years and she's not horribly shy anymore. She created her own style of fighting with the Byakugan that has branched off a lot and has actually become a required teaching for the younger generations of the Hyuga clan. But no one does it as well as she can, even Neji, who is a genius, can't completely replicate it.

"Also Hinata has quite a head for leading on her now that she's out of her shy phase. Man she used to turn red and pass out every time I got too close to her. And she has a lot of good plans for changing and bettering the Hyuga clan. So now they're in negotiations to figure out who's going to be the rightful heir and it might come down to a battle between her and her sister, which I hope it doesn't because Hinata loves her little sister and wouldn't want to fight her..."

It had taken surprisingly little effort on Harry's part to get Naruto talking about Hyuga Hinata. Apparently she had been crushing on Naruto for around four years before he even noticed it at all.

When he did find out he had spent another year blushing at the mention of Hinata's name and trying to figure out what to do about it and what his feelings even were on the subject.

"I used to have such a big crush on Sakura-chan," he said and Harry nearly snorted at the image of Naruto with the pink-haired medic. The two seemed to get on more as brother and sister. "But man she didn't even notice me as anything other than her annoying team-mate. She was head over heels for the teme Sa-Sasuke."

The pause had been deafening and the pain in Naruto's eyes was evident. So Sasuke was someone Naruto and Haruno-san had known. Harry knew about the three man cells that young ninja's were trained in and figured Sasuke must have been their third team-mate. For awhile they walked in silence as Harry mused on these thoughts as he examined some fish from a stall. Naruto was obviously lost in memories.

Then, "So Sakura finally took me aside and asked me if I ever thought about kissing her," and just like that all the exuberance was back as if never gone, "and I practically crowed thinking she was finally gonna let me kiss her. She told me that I had to really picture it in my head. So I did, but every time I pictured it the image of Sakura in my head would punch me and send me flying before I actually kissed her... just like she would have done in real life." Naruto said, ruefully scratching the back of his head.

"Then she told me to picture kissing Hinata and I'm pretty sure I turned redder then these tomatoes." Naruto said while indicating to the tomatoes in one of the bags he was carrying. "Thing was, I could picture it clearly; a little too clearly. Then she told me to picture Hinata being kissed by someone else, like Kiba, you haven't met him yet because he's been on a mission with Shino... another friend you haven't met. Anyway after that she left telling me to think about it.

"Next time I saw Kiba I punched him. He forgave me once he found out why I did it, though he told me I was crazy... Kiba often tells me I'm crazy." Harry was actually laughing now, "After that I had to admit that I liked Hinata. We've been seeing each other for the past year now. As much as her dad will allow that is. He didn't want me anywhere near her at first but she must have said something to him because next thing I know I'm sitting across from him and he's asking me what my intentions were with his daughter.

"I honestly don't remember what I said, I was scared senseless. That man still scares me senseless. All I know is next thing he's doing is talking about how I should actually be a good match for her and why and he was going on and on and I nearly wet myself. I thought he was going to force us to get married right there. Actually, I think he's still plotting to get us married sometime in the near future... jeez that man scares me."

Harry was breathless with laughter as he took the wrapped up fish and moved on to the meat stalls. "Why did he not like you at first? Was he afraid you might sully his daughters... purity? Because I have to say, from what I've seen of women in your world they don't need anyone to protect them." He knew it was one of the things that had worried Ron when he was dating Ginny, though the threats from the twins were more than enough to keep him in order.

"Well," Naruto got his unfocused look again before saying, "he probably thought I was..."

"I am not selling any of my products to a monster!" The shout was vicious and it startled Harry when the man selling pork snarled it at them, "Nor anyone who consorts with that monster."

The look on the man's face reminded him of his Uncle Vernon and many of the wizards that had believed the lies printed about the "attention-seeking, delusional boy-who-lies." The shuttered look that descended across Naruto's face was also very familiar and seeing it upon the blonde's normally open and cheerful face made Harry angry.

"I don't see any monsters around here." he said, green eyes boring into the angry brown ones.

The man didn't back down. "You and that monster get away from here." he spat.

Harry could feel the anger boiling up inside him in a way it hadn't done in a really long time. Not since Aunt Marge had said those hateful things about his parents, not since he had uttered that unforgivable curse at an insane women he hated more than Voldemort himself.

"I repeat," said Harry, his voice lowering to a dangerous level, green eyes crackling with something the stall-keeper didn't see, "I don't see any monsters here."

"I see one right there!" the man said, jabbing a finger towards Naruto, "And you must be a freak to hang out with him!"

The street-lights above them turned on and flared brightly in the afternoon sun before exploding in a burst of sparks and shards. The crowd that had gathered let out terrified yelps as they backed away from the glass. The stall owners eyes widened in fear when he finally noticed that Harry's normally warm green eyes were cold and sharp with an electric power. Was he imagining the sparks that were playing across the green?

"A monster," Harry's voice was near a whisper but everyone in the crowd heard him clearly. Naruto swallowed heavily at the power rolling off the shorter boy and once more revised his opinion of how helpless Harry was, "a monster," this time it came out a bit louder, "is someone who kills a child's parents because he wants to kill the child himself and the parents are standing in the way." the wind began to pick up, scattering the broken glass and stirring up dust.

"A monster is someone who tortures people to insanity and relishes in their agony and their screaming. A monster is someone who sets a dangerous creature that enjoys eating children loose in a school filled with them." Harry's voice was steadily rising in volume and some small part of him that was still rational was frustrated that he had completely lost control of his emotions and power like this. Just like a first year.

"A monster is someone who betrays those that have faith and trust in him." Here his voice broke as the images of Dumbledore falling from the tower, thrown back by Snape's killing curse assaulted him. He didn't even notice Naruto's flinch, for a moment he was silent, staring at the ground. Then in a choked voice he ground out, "Monsters are people who treat their orphaned nephew like a live in slave and punching bag and let him think, for the first eight years of his life that his own name is actually Freak." He was horrified at what he had let spill out in his anger. Anyone with a brain would realize who that boy was.

Finally reigning in his rampaging emotions the wind died down as he met the man's eyes once more, ignoring the look of pity that was creeping in beside the disgust and fear, he didn't want this man's pity. "That's a monster, not Naruto. He's nothing like that and for you to say so is despicable." with that he whirled away, sandals crunching on the glass as he began walking down the eerily silent street.

Great, just great, now shopping would be awkward. Then the silence was broken by a women stepping out from behind her stall, "I'll serve you." She said, "My meats better quality then his will ever be." Harry nodded shortly, not trusting himself to speak just yet. Slowly the street full of people began to move again, most holding intense whispered conversations. After the meat was paid for they moved on, Naruto was still silent.

"Thanks." it was barely audible and Harry chanced a look at his companion. There was no pity in Naruto's eyes, only understanding.

And for that Harry was grateful.

)P

Sakura stretched languidly until there was a satisfying crack and let her muscles relax. It was rare for her to get more than a day off from the hospital and her missions so she was determined to enjoy it, even in light of what today was.

"Neh, Sakura-chan," she must have done something in a past life to explain why she never got any 'alone-time' in this life. However this particular company was not unwelcome today.

"How on earth did you find me Naruto? I didn't tell anyone where I was going." She had wanted her solitude until later that night. Then she and the 'Rookie Nine' plus four (well really it was now the 'Rookie Eight' plus four and Shikamaru wasn't going to be there so it was down to twelve tonight) would have their annual drunken madness.

"Process of Elimination. Also where else would you be today?"

"You followed your nose, didn't you." she glared at him and he sheepishly ran a hand through his hair.

Controlling the Kyuubi had come at a great price for Naruto but it had reaped a few benefits. Like a sense of smell that almost rivalled Kiba's. Though she knew that Naruto considered the price far too costly for any benefits he might have gained.

"Well yeah. But like I said, where else would you be today of all days?" he leaned forward on the tree branch beside hers and looked across the deserted training ground, "A ninja who breaks the rules is dirt, but a ninja who puts the rules before his friends is less then dirt. Probably the best lesson Kakashi taught us."

Sakura smirked, remembering her naive self, seven years ago. Too infatuated with a boy to focus on bettering herself. Too in love with him to ever let him go. "Not that we really learned the full meaning of that lesson until much later." she replied, "Where's Harry?"

"Hmm? Oh I left him with Kakashi for today. Baa-chan said it was okay, she mentioned starting me back on missions even if it means she'll have to use more ANBU for shadowing us separately."

"Sounds good, though considering how many times you've saved this village, you'd think they'd realize you're not going to up and destroy it."

"Mah, mah," Naruto returned, waving his hand as though to wave away the issue, "Actually I came to ask you a question."

"Got anything to do with that little scene that was made in the market yesterday?"

"Yeah," Naruto paused, choosing his words, an action that would have been laughable five years ago, "I think he revealed a bit more there then he wanted to, both about how strong he actually is power wise and about his past."

"Anger tends to make a person lose control if you recall," Naruto blushed at the subtle reminder of the things he had done in anger, "ANBU reported that they think it was the word 'freak' that set him off..."

"Of course it was. Anyway, my question is should I talk to him about it?"

"What do you think?" she retorted.

"I don't know, that's why I'm asking you! Your better at this stuff then I am." Naruto looked pleadingly at her and she started to laugh at the puppy-dog eyes she was getting that had never worked on her before and didn't work now.

"Think of it this way Naruto. If in your anger you let something slip about the Kyuubi, would you want him to ask you about it or would you want to tell him yourself?"

"I do not want him to know I share a body with a monster!" Sakura sighed as she recalled what Tsunade-sensei had told her about Harry and why he hadn't wanted Naruto to know.

"I think," she said slowly, carefully phrasing her words so as not to betray Tsunade's, and through her Harry's, trust, "that you two are more similar then either of you know."

"What does that mean?" Naruto looked at her like she had told him the sky was red.

"It means I think you should tell him about the Kyuubi and I think he may share some of his secrets in return."

"You know more then you're letting on, don't you."

"I always know more then I let on Naruto," the look she gave him was so innocent that he swallowed nervously on reflex.

Time trickled by after the two lapsed into silence, staring at the memorial stone with carefully blank faces.

"His name should be on there. Both of their names really." said Naruto so softly Sakura almost didn't hear him. She blinked slowly as if contemplating what he had said or perhaps trying to keep something from bubbling out of her.

"Yeah, but they never will be. His name, at least, is forever etched in our hearts." she whispered.

A soft breeze stirred the grass and brought with it the faint memory of laughter and bells.

~_~

In all his life the most perverted person he had ever met was Dean. Seamus had been bad, the twins were more evil and plotting then perverted (though they had their moments), but Dean had been known throughout Gryffindor as being the king of all things pervy.

He was quickly learning that Dean was an amateur.

Yeah he had a dirty mouth and when it was just the guys he was filled to the brim with exploits and things he had learned or heard about. But he didn't walk around in broad daylight, in PUBLIC, reading porn. And there was no more doubt what exactly it was that Kakashi was reading with fervent glee and absorption as they walked down the street.

Bright orange, Ichi love something or other (Harry wasn't looking too close) and a flash of the occasional picture that was, well, lewd would be the best word.

_Dirty old man_, Harry thought with more awe then scorn. Though aside from the silver hair Kakashi couldn't be over thirty so he wasn't technically old so much as just dirty. The man was reading porn and either no one noticed or no one cared.

_Look_, Harry thought to himself, _there are some children passing him by. Does he notice that he's reading porn in front of children_? _Nope, obviously not_.

_Look_, he continued, _they are making fun of him behind his back. Does he notice it_? _Wait... oh, that had to hurt_. So maybe he was aware of his surroundings, enough to make Harry wary about making any of his own comments out loud. Though he entertained the thought of grabbing a stick to see if he could trip the older man up...

"It wouldn't work." Harry started at the voice and noticed that Kakashi was watching him from the corner of his eye. Harry could swear the man was smirking, though the mask prevented his knowing.

"What wouldn't work?" Harry asked. He couldn't possibly know what had been running through Harry's mind.

"Tripping me. It can't be done." Harry nearly did a face-plant in surprise. There was no explaining how the man had known that Harry was thinking about trying to trip him, "Saw you eying that stick back there and then me." Well maybe there was a way.

"Don't know what you're talking about." Harry said with his best innocent act.

"Sure." and they continued on, Kakashi never once taking his nose out of the book. An announcer in Harry's head was shouting, _Now presenting Kakashi! The Great Perverted Multitasker_!

"Come on gaki." said Kakashi, jolting Harry out of his image of Kakashi reading porn while balancing on a ball that was balancing on a tight rope and juggling sharp knives in his free hand. "Time for lunch and I'm meeting someone." And he led Harry towards the school past Ino, who was terrorizing a group of kids that looked as old as Harry was when he started at Hogwarts.

"Hmmm, guess she's depressed today too." muttered Kakashi, obviously to himself but Harry had always had good hearing.

"Why do you say that?"

Harry didn't understand the strange look Kakashi gave him before answering, "Because she's being rather lenient on them today."

Bug-eyed Harry looked back at the ferocious Ino before the front door of the school closed and cut off his view of the training ground. "That's lenient?"

"Yeah." Harry chose not to comment.

They sauntered through the halls of the school, which reminded Harry of his time spent in muggle schools, not an overall pleasant memory. Outside of one classroom Kakashi stopped right in time for a herd of children to stampede out the door in front of them. Once the dust cleared he entered the still open classroom door and Harry followed him, noticing one student had remained behind and was being dressed down harshly by a man Kakashi's age with a long scar over his nose and another one running diagonally across his face. It created an odd lopsided X.

When the kid bounded past them, shamefaced the scarred man noticed Kakashi and smiled warmly.

"Yo." said Kakashi as he raised a hand in greeting. The book was gone and Harry wondered when he had put it away.

"Kakashi, you're on time?"

"Ah, well..." Kakashi trailed off as the other's grin widened and he shook his head in mock despair.

"This must be Potter Harry-san, my name is Iruka."

"Pleased to finally meet you, Naruto talks about you a lot." Harry returned with a smile.

Iruka opened his mouth to say something else when Kakashi swooped in and pecked him on the lips. Iruka blushed scarlet, his scars standing out in stark relief, as Kakashi slipped his mask back on. Harry was so startled by the sudden, out-of-the-blue display of affection from Kakashi that he didn't even register that he had briefly taken off his mask.

"Talk later, lunch now." was all he said as he sauntered out of the room, leaving a slightly embarrassed Iruka and a stunned Harry in his wake.

"So you two are...?" Harry managed.

"Yeah."

"So why does he read...?"

"Mainly to annoy everyone... I think."

"Hmmm."

"We should catch up to him."

"Yeah."

* * *

Now you've read, so do the next best thing and review!


	10. Getting Rid of Staps

I had a moment of extreme 'DUH' when I read over it and realized that I hadn't included Akamaru at ALL! How stooopid can I be? Anyway, I am really sorry for this horrendously late update. First came school; then came the strike (which while it may have left me with copious amounts of free time, it also left me with lethargy and no will to do anything); finally I got distracted when talking to a friend about this story and coming up with an idea that means I had to re-write this chapter from what it was and will now have to go back and change a whole bunch of things. My plot line shifted.

Enjoy this, I tried to make it really long to apologize but I'm not one of those 20 pages long people.

Slightly slashy and het scenes ahead. Nothing descriptive, just touches and kisses. Nothing at all like my 'Boy's With Glasses' story. But I was asked to include this warning, so I did.

Edited by Inyx Dawn

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Chapter 10: Getting Rid of Staps.

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Luna was bored and the wilwums gathering in her hair were a testament to that. There were many differences between her world and this one, but wilwums were still the same, nesting in the hair of bored people and feeding off their wasted energy. Which was a pity in Luna's mind since they were rather annoying creatures. Eavesdropping was the only thing keeping the infestation under control.

Hermione and Ron were arguing, in the next room over, about whether or not to leave Ginny, Luna, and Neville in the sand while they went off to go find Harry and see what to do about their hunt for the broken pieces of Lord Darky.

Luna, however, understood that they just needed to wait in the sandy place and soon they would be brought to a much better and changed Harry then the one they had last seen. Harry needed this time without them, to ferment like good wine and become tastier and more expensive; the futmonglers had told her so. Though it would be better not to tell Hermione that. Hermione didn't believe what she couldn't see. She would just get that pinched (and rather painful looking) expression on her face as she would tell Luna that there was no such thing as futmonglers and even if there was there was no way they could possibly know something like that.

Then again, Hermione was the one who didn't believe in staps even though she clearly had one riding on her back. She'd be freed of a lot of stress caused by the stap if she just danced naked under a blue moon. Or if she had sex. Sex was an easier way to get rid of staps. They hated it when humans did the naki-dance.

That solved it then. If she couldn't tell Hermione and Ron that they needed to leave Harry alone for a bit so that he could ferment properly, then she would have to distract them from their mission. And as a bonus Hermione would lose her annoying stap.

She'd need help for this though.

She'd need Ginny.

O_O

If there was one thing Ginny never wanted to think about, it was her brother's sex life. And that meant all six of them. But somehow she had been roped into Luna's scheme to mellow out Hermione and distract them both from going after Harry. And now she was being forced to think about it.

She hummed a Weird Sister's tune in her head while picturing flowers growing in an attempt to keep at bay any unwanted images. Luna owed her big time for this. The only reason she was doing this was because she trusted Luna. Her odd friend had a strange way of seeing things that should be obvious but aren't and knowing things that she shouldn't. Ginny had often wondered if Luna had a bit of Seers blood in her but when she had asked, Luna had assured her that she wasn't a Seer in the slightest.

Brushing her hair out of her face she stared across the dusty street. She was up for leaving Harry wherever he was. It had taken her a long time while surviving at the new Hogwarts to come to the realization that underneath her anger at Harry for leaving her behind was an acceptance that they might never see each other again. And that thought failed to affect her the way it should have if she really loved him. It was a hard truth to face, that maybe she didn't love Harry Potter as much as she thought she did.

Then she and Neville had tried to protect Luna and escape from Hogwarts when the Death Eaters had come for her, to keep her father's paper quiet. They had all been captured of course and then the Death Eaters that were bringing them wherever they were bringing them took a detour to pick up some idiot who had used the Dark Lord's name. The idiot had of course been Harry and seeing him had cinched it for her.

She felt relieve that he was alive and happiness to see him again as well as lingering anger at him for treating her like a child to be protected. But that was it. No swelling of the heart, no indications that she still loved him.

So she was going to enjoy this time away and hope that by the time they met up again it wouldn't be awkward. She liked it here anyway. Something about the hot, arid desert was peaceful and oddly welcoming, aside from the burn that her pale skin was getting.

Ginny stretched as she heard an owls hoot and rolled her eyes at the obviously, out-of-place signal. Operation Get-Hermione-and-Ron-shacked-up had begun.

Ginny shuddered.

*_*

Trailing kisses, he grinned ferally when the man beneath him arched up against him, their bodies twisting together in a pure animalistic dance. He wanted to howl with pleasure that this man, this beautiful man, was his.

Finely shaped cheeks were flushed with heat and soft, full lips quivered as they parted to admit quick gasps of air. Hooded eyes trailed his movements. He licked and nibbled and feasted on the pale flesh that starkly contrasted his own tanned skin. It was a sight only he ever saw since his love was usually covered up from head to toe. Even the black eyes and thick, dark brown hair were normally hidden behind shades and a hood.

It made every moment of passion an unveiling.

#__#

"We should get moving," Shino said as Kiba idly traced patterns on his bare chest, playing connect the dots with the small scars and bug entrances. The bigger man rolled over on top of him, muscles causing his red tattoos to ripple. Sharp teeth grazed his neck as Kiba bit down and held onto the thick blood vessels there.

"Do we hafta go?" he growled around his mouthful of flesh, causing chills to ripple through Shino's skin. Kiba licked the spot he had bit, before continuing, "It's not like we ever liked the bastard." A growl form beneath the bed gave them Akamaru's opinion and Shino's bugs hummed, reacting to the emotions of the two men entwined on the bed.

"No," Shino gently pushed Kiba up and met his eyes, "but we always liked Naruto and we supported him. We support him now by being there for him on the anniversary of Uchiha's death." Sighing Kiba rolled off the bed and, getting to his feet, began to get dressed. "Besides, the mission was complete last night. We should have reported to the Hokage by now."

Kiba looked out the window at the bright noonday sun and ginned. "We'll tell her we slept in."

)P

"Uh huh, and this is water." Tsunade said, holding up her sake glass, "Whatever, what was the outcome of the mission?" Kiba grinned, not at all upset that she hadn't believed him when he told her they had slept in. Honestly, she sometimes thought that no one in that generation respected her like they should, and she completely blamed Naruto.

"We can report that Akaboshi will no longer be _bugging _the Wave country anymore... or anyone for that matter."

"You were not supposed to kill him. You were to apprehend him and turn him over to the Wave Country authorities.

"We did." Kiba smiled as if laughing at a cosmic joke, beside him Akamaru wuffed quietly in his version of laughter, "then they turned him over to the Wave Country Hospital for the Mentally Unsound." The look Tsunade sent them would have sent lesser men (or dogs) running.

"When we captured him he had an adverse reaction to my bugs," came Shino's monotonous voice.

"Yeah, he started screaming and crying when they swarmed him and he was a gibbering, twitching mess by the time we left him with their authorities."

"You get paid?"

"Yeah."

"Then good job. You're dismissed." Shino turned to go but Kiba stayed where he was, "Yes?"

"So who's the new kid in town?" he asked. Tsunade frowned.

"His name is Potter Harry, he's been here for roughly a month now, why?"

"Nothing really," Kiba shrugged, recalling the black-haired guy he'd seen walking with Kakashi as he and Shino had entered the village. Normally he wouldn't inquire about new additions to the village but this kid..., "Just that his scent is really strong, he's got a lot of power in him and wafting around him. Different from any power me and Akamaru have ever come across either." Tsunade nodded indicating that she already knew that.

"Makes sense," she said, shrugging her shoulders, "Get Naruto to explain it to you later, I don't feel like taking the time right now. Besides," she paused, looking out the window at the sprawling village, "don't you two have a gathering to go to?"

The two ninja and one ninja dog nodded but Tsunade could hear the soft growl that escaped Kiba's lips. Like the dogs that the Inuzuka clan raised, Kiba was loyal. It was that loyalty to Naruto that kept the boy from cursing at the mention of the Uchiha's name.

"Tell Naruto to bring Harry to see me tomorrow. Dismissed." and they were gone. Settling back into her chair Tsunade sighed then took a sip of her sake. She knew, just as the others did, that it wasn't entirely Sasuke's death that Naruto and Sakura mourned; it was the way that, despite their herculean efforts, they failed to save their friend and teammate from himself.

._.

Iruka was a genuine, all-around, nice guy. He had a friendly smile, a friendly tone, and a friendly manner. Harry figured him to be the type of guy that others found themselves confiding in and he found himself happy that a man who had obviously (if those scars were anything to go by) lived a hard life, a man who had been trained to kill from an early age, still maintained such a pleasant demeanour.

It was also amazing that this man could take such a monotonous, apathetic by all first impressions, emotionless man like Kakashi and make him... blush?!

_Was that a blush_? It was barely visible due to One Eye's masked face but Harry was just able to make it out. Harry now thought he understood a little of why Naruto seemed to look up to Iruka so much.

It was halfway through lunch that the issue of why Harry was with Kakashi instead of Naruto was brought up. Harry's ear perked up when Kakashi asked Iruka if Naruto had stopped by earlier. Damn his curiosity to the four corners of the earth... or earths... it was going to get him in trouble. Wait, it _always_ got him into trouble.

"Yeah, he stopped by before class. Apparently they'll be out late, he said something about 'letting the moon and the earth bear witness to their tears'" muttered Iruka.

Kakashi sighed, "Clearly Naruto's been reading Icha Icha again. That's a line from the fourth book."

Iruka quirked an eyebrow at that, "Who are you to talk, you read it too."

Harry noticed that the mask Kakashi wore creased in a way that said the man was obviously smirking, "Yeah, but I don't quote it."

"But you've memorized it enough that you know which book that line came from." Harry muttered under his breath. However Kakashi shot him a glare that said clearly he heard it and Iruka burst into laughter.

"To bad Shikamaru's not here," Kakashi said, in a vain attempt to change the topic, "Naruto will be sad. Nothing to do though, Shikamaru won't be back from the Sand for another five months or so."

Iruka nodded, his eyes seeming to become a bit melancholic, "Yeah, he was a bit depressed. But it's hard for everyone to be there every year. This is a bigger turn out then last year."

Harry understood somewhat. He figured it has something to do with this elusive Sasuke figure that Naruto and Sakura were connected to. And he knew it wasn't any of his business. He was starting to think of Naruto as a friend and a sure fire way to chase away would-be friends was to nose into their business when you weren't welcome at least not until you had a certain amount of trust built up. This all came down to why he didn't mind spending the day with the local pervert.

Besides, Kakashi was fun.

As they paid and left the building Harry let himself fall a bit behind the two men, who were making _very_ discreet, almost non-existent gooey-eyes at each other. He'd watched Hermione and Ron do this all the time, so he knew what to look for. Being discreet himself he pulled out his wand and smirked.

Iruka nearly yelped in surprise (and did stare in disbelief) when Kakashi did a face-plant beside him. For awhile everyone present in the area froze and stared at the ninja in awe. Kakashi had tripped? And not just a stumble but had fallen flat against the ground? It wasn't possible.

Slowly Kakashi got up and turned around to face Harry, who was grinning widely as he tucked something into his sleeve.

"You should know, for future reference," Harry said, in a cheerful and innocent manner, "that you never tell a... someone like me that it can't be done. Because we usually find a way to do it."

'P

Ron stretched, loosening any stiff muscles as he lounged in the warm glow of the sunset. The shift, however small, stirred the girl lying beside him and he looked over to meet sleepy brown eyes. He smiled softly, "Hey there."

Hermione returned the smile, scooting a bit closer to Ron's all-encompassing warmth. "You do realize they plotted this for some reason, right?" She asked as she traced the scars over his chest from the ministry accident.

"Who did?" he murmured sleepily, running his hand through her hair, with a tenderness he rarely showed in public.

"Luna and your sister. Possibly Neville as well, but he's bed-ridden." The hand tangled in her hair froze and Ron pulled back looking at Hermione in undisguised horror.

"I don't want my sister to know I'm doing things like this!"

"Like what, Ron?" Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously, causing Ron to swallow before he tried to explain what he had meant.

"Sister's aren't supposed to know... to be aware... that their brothers, you know... do it!" He said earnestly.

Hermione snorted, "Honestly Ronald, sometimes you are the most prudish person I know."

"Oh really?" Ron purred and, with a suddenness that made Hermione wonder when the conversation had changed track, she found herself pinned beneath her larger bed companion as he kissed and suckled his way up the line of her neck. Coming to a stop over her mouth, he hovered for a moment, "If I recall correctly you were rather turned on last night by my dirty talk and ministrations. Wasn't very prudish then, was I?"

Hermione blushed a vivid red, "You know very well what I meant! Besides, you are deviating from the topic at hand." With that she gave him a shove to get him off of her. However she pushed too hard and he wasn't expecting it. There was a loud thud as Ron hit the floor, tangled in sheets. "Oh," she rolled over and peered at him from the bed looking vaguely sheepish, "sorry."

Ron growled and they stared at each other for a moment before falling into a fit of giggles.

"Okay Hermione, I give," Ron chuckled as her crawled back onto the bed, tucking them both back under the sheets, "why do you think they plotted this?"

"Well for one all the doors except mine were mysteriously locked, and I'm certain they shot 'sudden lust' or 'amorous' spells at us," Ron's eyes widened a bit, "And finally there are no owls in the desert."

"Owls? What have owls got to do with anything?"

"There was an owl hooting as we left the sitting room to get my books." she said, and Ron's eyes lit up in understanding... followed quickly by horror.

"But, but why?" he mumbled.

Hermione sighed and snuggled closer to him, letting him spoon her from behind, "I think they want us to not go after Harry, or at least not without them. I honestly think they're right. This is a different world, we shouldn't be separated."

For a while neither of them spoke and Ron nuzzled Hermione's neck, breathing in her scent. Then, "We'll talk to them tomorrow." He grinned suddenly, "But tonight is for us. No worries, not thoughts. Nothing but you, me, and the moonlight."

Rolling over to look at him, Hermione couldn't help but laugh, "You're lucky I'm a hopeless romantic Ron, else I'd tell you that line was cheesy."

He silenced her with a kiss.

O~P

Kankuro decided that he enjoyed watching Suna's guests. The reason was simple.

They were downright bizarre.

There was the boy Neville, who looked, spoke, and acted like a soft, defenseless civilian. Yet he had been wounded bad enough to make a chunin pass out and he'd still managed to function and carry himself on their way back to the village. His eyes also spoke of a boy that had been through many battles. Maybe not a warrior, but close.

The brunette and the red headed boy, Hermione and Ron, had the warrior eyes. They also, while being close to the other three, kept themselves distant and plotted to leave the others behind so they could go find their missing friend and go kill someone named Voldemort. That and they seemed to dance around each other like children with a crush. Shinobi were much more forthright about shit like that, came with the high risk, might-die-tomorrow job they held.

The blonde was something else entirely. She never seemed to focus on anything. Her gaze always flittering around as though watching things only she could see. Her head tilting to the side with a small crease in her brow as though listening to things only she could hear. She came off as completely unfocused yet he couldn't shake the feeling that should he attack them, she would react the fastest, perhaps even before he made a move. Luna, though he heard her friends call her Loony in an affectionate way, did not look like she was all there.

And then there was the red head.

Ginny was something else as well, but not in the way her friend Luna was. She was entirely focused, her copper-coloured eyes seemingly missed nothing, and she moved with a speed and grace that almost belied the fact that she was obviously not a ninja. He could tell she was a fighter but he didn't think she'd ever be a killer, if her reaction when they met was anything to go by.

Also it was so easy to make her blush. Kankuro was used to kunoichi who would watch you strip naked with a disinterested, bored look. The only other girl he'd met that blushed had been that Hyuga girl that Naruto was seeing. And even she only blushed at things Naruto did or said. Yet this Ginny would blush at the smallest things. Things her friends said, things that the strangers around her did (he had laughed himself silly when Ginny had seen a villager doing laundry in nothing but a breast band and skirt. The red head had been on the roof and she had blushed vividly before turning away so fast she almost fell off said roof). He had taken perverse pleasure in making her blush. It was fun.

She was blushing now, though not from anything he did. She and that crazy Luna girl where sneaking around the house, plotting something. So of course he was watching, it was his job. Plus it was amusing watching their vain attempts in being 'sneaky.' They weren't bad, just not good.

When Luna made a strange noise that sounded like a bird he had seen while in the Fire Country, Ginny got to work following Hermione and Ron from the main room. The two were arguing, seemingly oblivious of what was going on, as they went to get something. Luna had popped out at some point and, as Ginny shot a spell at each of them, she did the same before she took off with Ginny hot on her heels. The other two were suddenly no longer arguing. They were also no longer dancing around each other.

Kankuro snorted. That's what the plan was? To get those two laid? It didn't seem to make much sense, though it did explain Ginny's fiery blush. Moving silently through the house he found the other two talking to the bed-confined Neville.

"What spell did you use Luna? For that matter why? You didn't tell me you were going to use spells on them as well." Ginny seemed to be a bit confused.

"Oh that was just something to get the gorgly moving. And a little extra to make certain they leave Harry alone until he ripens." Kankuro raised an eyebrow. So they wanted to keep the other two from searching for this Harry Potter?

"Why do you keep talking about Harry like he's a fruit?" Neville asked, looking like he'd rather not know.

"No, more like wine. He just needs time." Luna said with a distracted smile, "We need to talk to the Kazekage and see if he'll let us stay for at least a year. The futmonglers tell me we will be brought to Harry when he is ready. Plus Hermione needs at least a year."

"What does that mean?" Ginny looked even more confused, although Luna had made Kankuro wonder with that last line. "What are you on about, Luna?"

"Nothing," said the blonde, looking entirely too innocent, "just time."

Neville and Ginny stared for a moment before shaking their heads, clearly giving up. _Yup_, thought Kankuro, these _guys are fun to watch_.

-_-

Darkness filtered across the street as the sun deepened, casting the world into a surreal glow. The village was winding down, people hurrying home and the streets becoming deserted as the usually were at night.

Windows glowed and streetlights flickered on causing shadows to jump out in stark relief. Shapes just barely discernable moved throughout the shadowed streets and across the moonlit rooftops, slowly converging and moving away from the village, towards a training ground clearing beside a large, stone memorial.

Voices whispered and laughter rang out, only to be swallowed by the silence of the night. Bottles of rich sake were passed around, clinking against each other, and being raised in salute to the dark sky; two in memory and the rest in respect and comradeship.

The stars watched as the world continued to turn, unaware of the lives that played out on its surface.

* * *

-_-

* * *

Please review, point out errors, praise me if you think I deserve it, but more importantly tell me your opinions.

*says in a small voice* Just don't be cruel.


	11. Connecting

So, this is my longest chapter to date... they just keep getting longer... that has to be a good thing right?

Can anyone tell I dislike Sasuke? Don't worry though; I'm not done with him yet. I haven't even revealed what happened those three years prior. *laughs insanely* Ahem, I'll be trying to keep it somewhat sympathetic. If I get too harsh or vindictive towards poor ickle dead boi, tell me.

Now about the slash, I think I lost a few readers with that last chapter. However I console myself with the fact that I got a shit load more favourites after that last chapter then I did the past four put together. I decided after chapter eight to have a bit of slash and I did put a warning in chapter nine that it was coming but I think I shocked some peoples.

Meh, I like stories that blend slash and het. It's too unrealistic to have all the characters gay or all of them straight. The world is not like that. Naruto has always been straight to me (although I love reading Kakanaru, Gaaranaru, and Shikanaru fics). Kiba and Shino however... those two were made for each other.

Now the last issue I will raise is the Harry/Ginny issue. I've had some people express dislike that I'm separating them. I will say this. I have never believed that they suited each other. Ginny needs someone that won't treat her like a child. Harry needs someone to challenge him as well as someone who he won't see as a person to be protected. He needs an equal. Ginny needs to be treated like an equal. Their relationship was not equal in any way.

I hope haven't lost too many readers and if I have, please don't tell me. I would like to pretend.

And I'm really sorry for the horrendous delay.

Oh and I own nothing... else I wouldn't be over 50,000 dollars in debt right now.

Edited by Inyx Dawn

* * *

Chapter 11: Connecting

* * *

Harry knew that Naruto was home when Kakashi disappeared with a swirling puff of smoke. Looking up from the chopsticks he had idly transfigured into miniature broomsticks, and was racing around the table, he cancelled the charms and decided to go say hi. He was only getting up though, when he heard a loud thump, followed by a crash and a voice that definitely wasn't Naruto.

Gripping his wand tightly, he crept over to the door and peeked into the hallway. The tension in his shoulders melted away as he holstered his wand before joining the mess of people by the door. Neji, Lee, and two unfamiliar men were the only ones standing and they each looked up at Harry as he stepped through the doorway.

Lee was laughing beside the first man who was smiling broadly in a very creepy way. He would have sworn Neji was smirking but the fourth guy could have been full out grinning and he wouldn't even have known. The guy was covered from head to foot.

"Hey, it's Haaaarry!" came Naruto's muffled voice as he pulled himself out from the bottom of the pile, elbowing a guy with red fang tattoos under his eyes, as he continued, "Hey Kiba, Shino, Sai! Meet Harry!" He tried to get up and nearly fell again, but the man who was completely shrouded grabbed his left arm while Neji grabbed his right. Red Fangs stood as well, hauling up the third pile victim, whom Harry recognized as Chouji, off a fourth pile victim that Harry hadn't noticed: a giant, shaggy dog.

"Harry!" yelled Naruto in an obvious, drunken slur, "This is Aburame Shino," he indicated the guy holding his left arm, "that's Sai," the one that was still smiling like a fox, "and this is Inuzuka Kiba," the guy with red fangs, "and Kiba's partner, Akamaru!" he finished pointing at the large dog, that made Sirius's animagus look normal. He held back the cringe that accompanied the thought of Sirius.

Naruto bounded over to Harry, suddenly nimble, and slung an arm around his shoulders causing him to stumble forward and nearly sending them to the ground, Naruto for the second time. Lee, Kiba and Chouji laughed while Neji snickered almost inaudibly and Harry blushed in embarrassment. "Neh, neh, Harry! Except for Lee, cause he's dangerous, and the way-too-tolerant trio over there, we're drunk!" Naruto crowed.

"Way to state the obvious Naruto." Harry replied, rolling his eyes.

Naruto just grinned and thrust his fist into the air, where Harry noticed, for the first time, he was clutching a leaf haiti-ite like his own, except this one had a long, deep gouge in it right through the middle. "We're tasting Sasuke!" Naruto shouted.

"Tasting?"

"Yeah! Raise your glasses to the Teme!" It didn't escape Harry's notice that Naruto's friends either wore a carefully neutral expression or a scowl. Except in Kiba's case, he was growling quietly every time Sasuke's name was dropped. It just added to the collection of puzzle pieces that were doing nothing for Harry aside from making him more curious about the enigma named Sasuke. And it was his curiosity, Harry was fully aware, that caused so many problems, both life threatening and not, during his years at Hogwarts.

"One of these days Naruto," Harry muttered, as Lee helped him drag the blonde, who was quickly falling asleep, to his room, "you'll have to tell me who this Sasuke is. Before my head explodes preferably."

"Well Sasuke-teme was..." quickly Harry shushed the blonde, not realizing how loose his friends lips were when drunk. Wasn't that really dangerous for a shinobi?

"I'd rather you tell me when you're sober and aware of what you're telling me."

"Meh... it's easier to do drunk, ya know." Naruto grunted as they hefted him into bed, Lee tripped however and both Naruto and Lee landed heavily in the bed, causing it to creak ominously. Lee tried to get out of Naruto's death grip to no avail, muttering about how he'd rather cuddle with Sakura (which caused Harry to stare a bit, as he could not picture those two together at all), when Naruto told him to shut up before passing out, leaving poor Lee trapped partially beneath him.

"How un-youthful of you to laugh, Potter-san." came a soft voice beside him, causing him to jump and look over at a grinning Neji. Lee was glaring at Neji, most likely for the stolen line, but he waved them away.

"Come on," Harry managed to swallow his snickering, indicating Neji should follow him, "I guess I should find you guys some places to sleep." They entered the living room which Harry eyed critically. He wondered idly if he should use magic, it would make the job easier. The Hokage hadn't told him not to, but he'd been really careful so far to make sure that those who didn't already know didn't see him using his wand or doing unusual things.

And really, if he didn't want Voldemort to pinpoint his location he shouldn't let too many people know. It was bad enough that the man was here as well, did he really need to wave a neon sign saying, "I'm here Voldi-warts! Come and get me!!" That would be, in the ever eloquent words of Colin Creevy, "Stooooooped."

"Neh, Potter-san right?" Kiba interrupted his inner debate with a curious look on his strangely tattooed face. "Can you show us some of that magic Naruto was on about? He was describing some things to us, but it sounds unbelievable." Well that solved that problem.

"Unbelievable how?" Harry asked, a bit confused, "You guys do similar things with your chakra."

Sai cocked his head and spoke for the first time with that smile that, for some indefinable reason, made Harry leery, "What we do with chakra is limited to specialties. There are some things all shinobi can do but our more powerful attacks and defenses center on a specific are, such as water, wind, earth, fire, the body, genjutsu, etc. Your magic, according to Naruto, can do anything."

It was the way that the last part was stressed that made Harry think the others did not believe Naruto about his magic. Shrugging, he decided that showing off in this case would have no negative effects. And Naruto seemed to trust them, so he'd put his faith in the blonde boy.

Something he found surprisingly easy, considering his past experiences and his usual hesitancy in trusting people.

With a cheeky grin he drew his wand and aimed it at the couch where Kiba was lounging in Shino's lap. Kiba yelped in surprise and Shino's hands moved, as if to grab something, when the couch beneath them transfigured into a bed that was more styled after Harry's bed in Hogwarts then the ones he'd seen here.

Harry's grin became almost deviant as, faster than any of them expected, he moved his wand with flicks and twists and jabs as he transfigured beds from the table and chairs, conjuring pillows and blankets from the air, summoning food from the kitchen, which he left on the only remaining table, conjuring a couple of jugs and plenty of cups, then summoning water to fill the jugs, as well as casting a few minor and harmless charms.

He hadn't had this much fun since his earlier years at Hogwarts. Later years, especially after fourth year, had become serious. Spells were learned and researched for the main purposes of preparing for and surviving the war. But in this he was simply showing off and his smile morphed into one of simple joy.

Neji was finding himself not only shocked, but very confused. He had activated his byakugan as soon as Harry had started casting spells and not only had he never seen anything like what Harry was doing, but he wasn't using any chakra at all.

In fact, Harry's chakra system, while being a good size, was not developed in any way, as though he had never used it during his life. Instead there was a movement of some force of energy that he had rarely seen before. The Hyuuga's had tentatively called the energy 'the halo' because it permeated a few individuals. It was never more than a shine over their blood stream and chakra coils. It never moved as Harry's was doing, and he had never seen it so bright and colourful. Rather it always appeared dull and more colorless the older the person was. The only person he knew personally that had it was Lee.

Harry's whole body seemed to thrum with the energy, absorbing it from the air around him, twisting and blending it with his internal energy, before it moved out through the wand, the focus it appeared. Neji released the byakugan, his head reeling from trying to watch the strange, intrinsic, and sometimes nonsensical movements of the energy called 'magic.'

By the time Harry was done the living room looked like his dorm room back in Hogwarts. Kiba and Shino had both jumped off the initial bed and stared in awe as it had made itself with the sheets and blankets Harry had conjured. Both of them had yet to notice that Kiba's hair had turned a vivid red with gold stripes. Shino scratched a shoulder as he turned to look at the rest of the room.

Sai's creepy smile had vanished and been replaced by an honest to god impressed look. He was about to lean over and poke one of the beds to see if it was real, when his lip twitched. It twitched again. He snorted. And then with a force that shocked everyone, he began laughing, hysterically. It wasn't the fake chuckle his friends were used to hearing, it was real laughter. Albeit forced, as they realized when he didn't stop laughing and smiling, dare they even think it, in a natural way.

Shino started scratching his back as he turned to stare at the laughing Sai, but he froze when he noticed Kiba's hair. He would have stayed frozen but he couldn't stop scratching. His entire body was itching.

Chouji was staring at everything incredulously and the sudden strange way his friends were acting was just as stare worthy. He'd never seen a shade of red so vibrant as Kiba's hair. And how did Neji not notice that his hair was in a complicated, twisting up-do with silver ribbons, curls, and tiny braids? For that matter why did he feel like he was floating? He wasn't _that _drunk. Looking down he was shocked to notice that his feet were floating above the ground.

As Chouji tried to get back to the ground, Akamaru watched with something akin to horror from where he crouched in the corner. He let out a whimpering bark, only to freeze when it came out as a plaintive mew.

And this is what broke Harry's control as he fell into a fit of laughter beside Sai.

^_^

When Sakura woke, the sun had just risen as well, casting her room into a soft, hazy gold light. She blinked sleep from her eyes as she scanned the room for any differences or possible traps. Her mother had been appalled to learn that she would scan any room she entered, horrified to think that her daughter didn't feel safe in her parents' house. Sakura hadn't bothered to explain that it was an ingrained habit.

Yawning, her eyes came to rest on an old photo, the only one in the room. Team Seven, when they first got together and everything was so simple. Long before they were harshly awoken to the realities of being a ninja, long before Sasuke had betrayed them, and long before he had sacrificed himself to save them. The pain in her chest was so familiar and expected that she ceased to even focus on it anymore.

Running a hand through her hair she got up and proceeded to go through her stretches before changing and brushing her hair. She headed out into the living room where an exhausted Hinata was blinking sleepily on one of the couches. A closed door indicated that Ino was in the washroom.

"We should go for dango," muttered Sakura, as Hinata looked up, "I don't feel like cooking."

Hinata smiled and nodded her agreement, "We can bring some over to Ten Ten."

Sakura grinned at that before banging on the bathroom door, "Ino-pig! Get out! I need to brush my teeth."

For a second there was no reply, then Ino wrenched the door open, glaring daggers at Sakura, "Don't be so pushy forehead girl." she growled, with a jesting smirk that belayed her supposed anger.

Hinata giggled and Sakura huffed as she pushed past Ino. Winking at them, she closed the door firmly. When it closed Ino's smile softened. She made her way over to Hinata and flopped down beside her, "Glad that day is finally over." she breathed.

"Yes," Hinata replied, reaching over to the table to flip through a pile of papers and several books there, "I can't believe you two still call each other those ridiculous names."

"What can I say, I love that giant forehead."

"I heard that!" Sakura yelled from the washroom.

"Eh heh," Ino rubbed her nose in bemusement while Hinata laughed.

As they were leaving, Hinata asked Sakura about the journals on the table. Sakura paused looking at the books before grabbing a bag to put them in. "I almost forgot," she murmured, "I need to give these to Lady Tsuande."

She didn't tell the other two what they were though.

O_O

Neji woke that morning to a very strange smell drifting through the apartment. It wasn't a bad smell, just one he had never come across before.

Chouji was the only other one in the living room awake it seemed and he was pulling on his shirt with a determined look. A loud gurgle emanating from the... big boned ninja indicated to Neji exactly what Chouji thought of the smell.

Pulling on the rest of his gi Neji looked around the room, still slightly shocked and fully awed at the way it looked now. _Harry-san_, he thought, _may not be a fighter in our sense of the word, but he is a force to be reckoned with. _Because Neji just knew that as much useful, yet harmless 'magic' Harry had shown them last night, it was most likely not even the tip of what he could accomplish. And as with everything that could create, there had to be a destructive side as well.

Rising and stretching, he decided to follow Chouji's example and find the source of that amazing smell.

In the kitchen he stopped behind a suddenly frozen Chouji and, looking at what had caught his friend's attention, found another sight that shocked him as the one last night had. Dishes washing themselves in the sink, a towel drying them, and then they put themselves away. A thick wooden table set off to the side was laden with plates of steaming food that Neji had never seen before. And there was Harry, in the centre of the madness, standing at the stove and frying something...

"That smells like pork," Chouji said, as he unconsciously gravitated towards the food table, "only like no pork I've ever had before."

Harry started, as though he hadn't known anyone was in the kitchen, but he smiled at Chouji and replied, "It is bacon. Better bacon then I could get at home actually, since it didn't come pre-cut and packaged."

Neji decided to ignore the strange terminology, "Are these all foods from your homeland?"

"Not quite," Harry said as he piled the bacon on a napkin covered plate and began to pat the liquid fat off with another napkin, "There were a lot of ingredients you guys didn't have, so I had to adlib and..."

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN MY BED!!" the interrupting shout was so loud and sudden that it caused Harry to violently flinch and the dishes to rattle ominously. Getting over his initial shock Harry dodged forward to push back a few platters that were dangerously close to the edge.

Neji smirked at Harry's nervous, wide-eyed look, "Wha..."

"It seems Naruto has woken up," Neji said in response when it became apparent that Harry couldn't seem to finish his question.

"I didn't realize that anyone's voice could get so loud without a sonorous charm." Harry mumbled. Neji figured he could make a good guess as to what a sonorous charm did.

"Naruto has toned down quite a bit since he became a chunnin. He has also never been as loud as Rock Lee."

Harry looked sideways at Neji while turning off the stove. "And you haven't lost your hearing?" Neji just smiled.

Snorting softly, Harry grabbed his wand and cast several heating spells on the food to keep it warm before heading out into the living room. Working quickly he cancelled the spells on the empty beds, nodding at Sai as he vacated his own.

"Wake up guys," he said to the final bed that Kiba and Shino had shared. They had made use of the thick curtained exterior that was reminiscent of Harry's dorm bed and Harry, figuring they were too passed out to hear him, went over to wake them up in the way he usually dragged Ron out of bed: bright light and loud noises.

He didn't see Chouji's eyes widen, he didn't see Neji move to stop him, and he was facing the wrong direction to see Naruto and Lee come out of the bedroom looking cranky and confused at Sai's smirk as he whipped back the curtains, letting the bright early morning sunlight fall onto the two...

Harry froze...

Harry stared...

Harry turned a shade of red that none of them had ever seen before and his mouth fell open in a comical impersonation of a fish.

He didn't even react as a sniggering Naruto and a particularly stiff Neji each grabbed an arm and dragged him away, while Chouji closed the curtain on the two naked and entwined men.

Neither of them so much as stirred.

"You okay there?" Naruto asked, grinning so widely it looked like his face might split. Harry's own face suddenly flooded a brilliant shade of Gryffindor red and with as much dignity as he could muster he walked stiffly toward the kitchen, ignoring the gales of laughter behind him.

*_*

"Kami that was good!" exclaimed Chouji for the umpteenth time that morning as he practically hugged the bag of leftovers he'd been given. "You should open a restaurant. You'd be huge! I need to get some of those recipes off you. Wow!" Kiba snorted with laughter as he shepherded the babbling Chouji out the door.

"Thanks for the meal!" he said, while winking at Harry, causing him to blush furiously again. Shino, Lee, and Sai bowed, following the others out the door. Neji had left earlier to see the Hokage.

"That was fun," Harry mused when they were alone, "you have a lot of really good friends, Naruto."

Naruto smiled and instead of his normal foxy grin, Harry saw one that was truly content. "They are my precious people," he said, as though it explained everything, and in a way, it did.

"Before them," he continued, "I was totally alone. So I'd give everything to protect them. They know that."

Harry watched Naruto as the other began cleaning up the leftover dishes. This past month Harry had started to see Naruto as a friend, yet he hadn't really shared any of his past with the other except when things slipped out. Taking a steadying breath, he decided that he wanted to act on this odd trust that only Ron and Hermione had ever gained so fast.

"The first time I ever made a friend was when I turned 11 and started at my magic school," Naruto cocked his head and gave Harry all of his attention, which was a bit unnerving coming from the blonde that normally couldn't sit still. "His name was Ron and he became my best mate."

And so they spent the morning cleaning up Naruto's apartment, Harry regaling Naruto with stories from his younger years at Hogwarts and Naruto sharing some of his finer pranks.

And Harry thought that even though he missed his friends terribly this wasn't so bad.

;P

"Took you long enough," Tsunade quipped when Naruto, followed by Harry, entered her office, "I've seen Neji, Sakura, Neji again with Hiashi, and the last people I ever want to see on any given day: the old farts that call themselves council and don't have the decency to die. This was all before noon, it is now past noon and you were supposed to come see me this morning."

"Are you cranky today Baa-chan?" Naruto asked, grinning mischievously. Tsunade answered by draining her sake cup and throwing it hard enough to leave a dent in the wall before it shattered. This was of course after Naruto neatly side-stepped it. And Harry knew that it wasn't bad aim and Naruto had moved because of the small fact that Naruto had been standing beside him and now there was space enough for another person between them.

Mental, these people were absolutely mental.

"Whatever," Tsunade groused and waved a hand as if dismissing the issue, looking calmer after her attempted murder, "at least your coming now, means I don't have to send for you again. I originally wanted to tell you, Harry, that you no longer have to be accompanied everywhere you go. The council doesn't want you out of the village, just in case you really are a spy and you know a way around that oath of yours. Paranoid I know, but I'm almost certain it's a part of their job description. Naruto I needed to tell you that you're back on active status now."

Naruto and Harry nodded as Tsunade reached down and pulled out a pile of books from beneath the desk, pushing them forward.

"Now, onto the matters that have come up since morning; Harry, I'm giving you these. They're the journals from that Merlin guy." Harry's eyes widened in something close to awe, "Sakura's gone over them thoroughly if you find yourself with any questions. I know she has a bunch for you; she'll probably corner you sooner or later. Apparently there were entire segments written in another language; yours most likely."

Harry took the top book feeling decidedly odd to be holding something written by the last known Magi. It didn't look all that special, he thought as he turned the rough paper and twine bound book.

"As for the second issue..." here Tsunade trailed off, trying to phrase her next words carefully, "when you preformed magic last night Neji used a special technique of his, called the byakugan, to see how it worked." Harry, not knowing what exactly the byakugan was, was a bit confused, Naruto looked interested though.

"Apparently your magic is not chakra at all. Your chakra coils are undeveloped actually. Magic though is not unknown here, as we thought it was. The Hyuuga's have been calling it the 'halo' since it sort of simmers, for lack of a better word, over the chakra coils and veins of the body. They've never been able to place what it was or what it was for." Harry nodded, still really confused.

"Now what we are requesting, and I stress the use of that word... the Council wanted me to force you and I had to _remind_ them that you were a guest, not a prisoner..." the last part was near growled, mostly to herself. Naruto smirked at her stormy look. "We want to know if you would be willing to let our experts study you and the effects of this magic. Neji would be present, as a Hyuuga that you are already familiar with, as well as my assistant Shizune, whom you're met once."

Harry nodded, recalling the stressed woman who reminded him a bit of an over-worked McGonagall, only much less prim.

"You willing?" Harry nodded again. He didn't see why it would be a problem. Besides, he was curious himself about the differences. "Alright, dismissed then. I'll send Neji with the details about when and where."

Collecting the books, Harry repeated the respectful bow Naruto had taught him, and followed the blonde out; his mind whirling with thoughts.

However, for once in his life, Harry felt a Hermione-level of excitement at the prospect of reading a book.

* * *

**A/N I was totally going to end the chapter here, but since it took me so damn long to post this, I added this last scene. Enjoy.

* * *

**

"Actually the fact that you have the same stars as my home makes me doubt that this is another world."

"The same, really?" Naruto looked curiously at the stars that he normally didn't really focus on. Harry was teaching him the finer points of Astronomy

"Yeah," Harry pointed at the small red star above them.

"Ketsueki?"

"Hmm, blood… fitting."

"It's said that when Ketsueki and Umi show side by side in the sky, change will come in a rage of blood and fire."

"Umi?"

"The bluish-white star that shows in the morning and evening."

"Ah, the morning star and the evening star, which are one and the same. It's called Venus in my world. Ketsueki is called Mars. They are actually not stars, they're planets. They reflect the light of the sun back to Earth, making them seem like stars… I'm sure Earth looks like a star from Mars."

"Wow, there were so many things you just said there that I don't understand… I don't know which to clarify first… start with telling me what Earth is."

"This planet… I think this is an alternate universe or reality or something. If it was another world the stars would be different. Hermione would know better than I would."

"Wait…" Naruto had a pinched expression on his face, "this is a planet?" Harry nodded, "And Ketsueki and Umi are planets?" Harry nodded again, "The same size?"

"I think Mars- Ketsueki is smaller than Earth and Venus- Umi is a bit smaller than that… I think."

"That's massive." Harry quirked his head at Naruto, "I mean, we're like not even a tiny speck of dust, are we? We're… how big is all that," he waved his hands at the sky, "that the distance between this planet and another makes the other look like a star? And what are the other stars then!?"

"We're microscopic, something smaller than can be seen by our own eyes," he explained at Naruto's eye twitched in more confusion, "Outer space, out there, it's bigger than could ever be fathomed, I think. Each star is either a planet in our solar system." Naruto made a noise of distress, "or they're actually the light of a sun in another solar system, very, very, very far away. I can't explain the distance without explaining basic science to you."

Harry didn't think Naruto's eyes could get any bigger.

"Solar system?"

"Our planet revolves around the sun; so do eight others. Each group of planets revolving around a sun is a solar system."

"Nine planets…"

"Yeah, we can only see five of them from here though; Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn."

Naruto looked a little like he was trying to clear cobwebs from his head. Then he suddenly grinned. "So while I'm puny compared to that bastard fox, he's super-speck sized compared to everything else, HAH!"

"Fox?" Harry asked, causing Naruto to get a funny expression on his face.

"Nothing important," Harry let it go and for awhile they enjoyed the silence and the stars.

Then Naruto spoke up softly, "You know, this would have been easier if you let me do it drunk; liquid courage and all." Harry looked over at Naruto in confusion but the blonde just continued to study the sky.

"Sasuke," he began, "was a teme; a really big one, stuck up, full of himself. He did not know the meaning of friendship. I hated him, mainly because despite his attitude everyone loved him. He was the last Uchiha, he could do no wrong and I was completely ignored or even hated for no apparent reason. It infuriated me."

"The last Uchiha?" Harry really didn't want to interrupt, but Naruto had fallen silent and he was really curious.

"Yeah… well not really. His elder brother killed the entire clan, even the non-shinobi, except for Sasuke. So he was the last Konoha Uchiha. Itachi became a missing-nin." Harry didn't know what to say to that.

"When we graduated we were put on the same team; me, Sasuke, and Sakura." That explained a bit Harry thought as Naruto continued, "I thought of Sasuke as a rival in everything. Love, skill, and… I wanted to beat him so bad."

He trailed off again, "I came to see him as a brother, he came to see me as a friend. Then everything went all to pieces because of an old fuck named Orochimaru…"

He told Harry of the curse mark and what it did to Sasuke. He told Harry of Sasuke's betrayal and what had happened three years later, of learning what Konoha had ordered Itachi to do, of the Akatsuki.

"He had joined Akatsuki because he wanted to destroy Konoha. It always made me mad; mad at Konoha for resorting to such senseless slaughter and placing it on Itachi's shoulders, mad at Itachi for going through with it, mad at Sasuke for not understanding why he did it. We are shinobi, we follow orders and above all we protect the village. Itachi wanted Sasuke to defeat Madara, instead he joined him."

The fury and helplessness underlying Naruto's words was poignant.

"Then he switched sides and none of us knew why. He destroyed Pein with this evil black fire, but it incinerated him as well. And even though he died to save us, Konoha still won't acknowledge him and his brother. No admitting to their own mistakes I guess." He sounded really bitter, but Harry couldn't blame him.

A star shot across the sky and Harry took a deep breath when it appeared Naruto was done. There wasn't anything he could say to make Naruto feel better, he knew how meaningless words like that were.

So he decided to share some of his own past.

"I was born during a war. This really dark wizard was trying to take control of Wizarding Britain and he'd killed so many already. When I was one he came to my house…" And tit for tat he told Naruto of Voldemort's fall, his life with the Dursley's, and Voldemort's return. He didn't tell him why Voldemort focused so much on him and Naruto didn't ask. When he was finished both boys continued to stare at the stars and Harry wondered how much more depressing the night could get… then…

"So how big are these suns in the other solar systems that we can see them from so far away?"

"Hmm, well actually the suns you see are already dead…"

"Nani!!" And Harry explained super nova's and tried to explain light years while Naruto nodded and scrunched his face in confusion and laughed.

But looking at the night sky Harry couldn't help but notice that Mars was particularly bright.

* * *

I STILL THINK PLUTO IS A PLANET!!! Don't quote all that science junk at me… Pluto is and always will be my favorite planet. I live by a river and I like it there just fine.

Oh and I know some of the star info is not quite right, but Harry hasn't been in muggle school since he was 11. Makes sense that what he recalls is a bit off.

So review and tell me what you think!


End file.
